2007:07

LICENTIATE T H E S I S

Product Innovation Processes

Product Innovation Processes
Conceptual
Conceptual and Methodological Considerations
and Methodological Considerations

This is NOT an innovation?

Sven Andersson

Luleå University of Technology

Department of Business Administration and Social Sciences
Sven Andersson
Accounting and Control
Luleå University of Technology
Division of Business
2007:07|: Administration
-1757|: -lic and
-- 07Management
⁄07 -- 
971 81 Luleå
 Product Innovation Processes
Conceptual and Methodological Considerations

This is NOT an innovation?

Sven Andersson
Luleå University of Technology
Department of Business Administration and Social Sciences
Accounting and Control
971 81 Luleå
ABSTRACT
This thesis addresses the social dimension of individuals engaging in the product
innovation process in order to develop and choose techniques for knowledge creation
about the social evolvement of a product innovation. The social dimensions of
product innovation processes are particular interesting, since many firms today
organize their processes by combining individuals from different functions and
knowledge areas. The main argument is that decreasing the product’s time to market
saves costs through divergent perspectives of the product innovation early in the
product innovation process; thus, understanding the social dimension may contribute
to improving a firm’s product innovation process. This is addressed by (1) developing
a conceptual model of the product innovation process in respect to the dynamic
interplay between individuals in terms of social and cognitive dimensions; (2)
formulating a research plan for a significant test of the model; (3) empirically testing a
significant part of the research plan on one individual participating in a product
innovation process; and (4) developing a research plan based on this test. In this study,
development of the conceptual model is based on a literature review. The significant
test and the formulation of a research plan are based on the repertory grid technique,
social network analysis, and alter-ego network analysis in order to understand if these
techniques could be applied to the central concepts, which are, frame of reference,
thought, action, interaction, and structures. The significant test indicated a complex
relationship between the central concepts, which implies a need for researchers to
combine techniques and to participate within the process.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The physical result of a licentiate thesis may be argued to be a product innovation,
perhaps not in the format of a book but in terms of its unique content, which is based
on a recombination of knowledge areas and thus an innovation by definition. This
would logically imply that the process of writing (an action) and thinking about the
content of the thesis would be a result of the product innovation process. As in many
product innovation processes, I have interacted with other individuals whom I
perceive as significant in order to expand my understanding (frame of reference)
within this field of knowledge.

Among all significant individuals with whom I have interacted, I would like to give
my appreciation to those who have had the deepest impact on my actions and way of
thinking. First of all, I would like to thank my supervisors, PhD. Anders Nilsson and
Professor Einar Häckner, for their valuable comments, support, and patience. Another
person who largely contributed in the early stages of this thesis is PhD. Mats
Westerberg, who inspires me through his genuine interest and enthusiasm. There are
also several individuals who have contributed to my work in different ways,
commenting in conferences, seminars, and during coffee breaks. Even the smallest
comment could alter my perspective of what is fundamental, so thanks to all of you.

Like life in general, writing a thesis has its ups and downs. To balance, I find strength
in my interests, my friends, and especially my family. Without my constant friendly
battles with my father, the encouragement of my mother, and the laughs with my
indecisive sister, I do not think that I would have found the strength to think, write,
rethink, and rewrite. I would also like to mention my uncle, whose calmness helps to
balance the pace of life. Thanks to all of you!

I would like to conclude with words of wisdom from Matthew Arnold (1822 - 1888),
who insightfully stated:

The freethinking of one age is the common sense of the next.

I hope that this brick of knowledge will make a small contribution to the common
sense of future practitioners in product innovation processes. I hope to increase their
knowledge about the social dimensions of product innovation processes and be
reflected in action when practicing the art of innovation.

Luleå

Sven Andersson
TABLE OF CONTENTS

1 INTRODUCTION............................................................................................ 1
1.1 THE SOCIAL PROCESS OF PRODUCT INNOVATION ............................................................ 2
1.2 THOUGHT, ACTION, AND INTERACTION IN PRODUCT INNOVATION PROCESSES ............. 3
1.3 RESEARCH PURPOSE ........................................................................................................ 4
1.4 OUTLINE OF THIS THESIS ................................................................................................. 5
2 SCIENTIFIC POSITIONING AND THESIS REALIZATION............................... 7
2.1 ONTOLOGICAL POSITIONING ........................................................................................... 7
2.2 EPISTEMOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS OF INNOVATION .................................................... 8
2.3 METHODOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS CHARACTERIZING THIS THESIS ............................ 9
2.4 RESEARCH DESIGN ......................................................................................................... 10
2.5 LITERATURE REVIEW ..................................................................................................... 10
3 CONCEPTUALIZING THE PRODUCT INNOVATION PROCESS ................... 13
3.1 THE PRODUCT INNOVATION PROCESS........................................................................... 13
3.2 COGNITION IN THE PRODUCT INNOVATION PROCESS ................................................... 14
3.3 PRODUCT INNOVATION PROCESSES AND INDIVIDUAL IDENTITY .................................... 17
3.4 INSTITUTIONS AND INSTITUTIONALIZATION IN THOUGHT AND ACTION ....................... 18
3.4.1 Fundamental features of institutions .........................................................................19
3.4.2 Institutionalization in thought and action ..................................................................20
3.5 INDIVIDUAL FRAMES OF REFERENCE IN TERMS OF CONTENT AND STRENGTH ............... 24
3.5.1 The innovation process in terms of content..................................................................24
3.5.2 The innovation process in terms of strength.................................................................27
3.6 THE DYNAMIC UNFOLDING OF PRODUCT INNOVATION PROCESSES ............................... 29
3.6.1 A model of unfolding social and cognitive dimensions in product innovation processes ..............31
4 TOWARDS A RESEARCH PLAN OF THE SOCIAL AND COGNITIVE
DIMENSIONS IN PRODUCT INNOVATION PROCESSES .............................. 35
4.1 FOUNDATIONS IN THE REPERTORY GRID TECHNIQUE .................................................. 35
4.1.1 Performing a repertory grid ....................................................................................37
4.2 FOUNDATIONS OF SOCIAL NETWORK ANALYSIS ............................................................. 39
4.3 FUNDAMENTALS OF ALTER-EGO NETWORK ANALYSIS .................................................... 40
4.3.1 Linking techniques to the product innovation process .....................................................41
5 TESTING A SIGNIFICANT PART OF THE RESEARCH PLAN ........................ 43
5.1 SELECTION OF A PRODUCT INNOVATION PROCESS ........................................................ 43
5.2 TESTING THE REPERTORY GRID TECHNIQUE ................................................................ 45
5.2.1 Conducting the main test of the repertory grid technique .................................................50
5.2.2 PCA of the data when using the Flexigrid program ......................................................52
5.2.3 Conducting the follow-up interview..........................................................................52
5.3 TESTING THE SOCIAL NETWORK ANALYSIS ..................................................................... 53
5.4 TESTING THE ALTER-EGO NETWORK ANALYSIS.............................................................. 55
6 C4-DTN – ANALYZING THE SIGNIFICANT TEST......................................... 57
6.1 THE C4-DTN INNOVATION PROJECT ........................................................................... 57
6.2 THE PROJECT MANAGER’S FRAME OF REFERENCE ABOUT THE C4-DTN PROJECT
ACTIVITIES ................................................................................................................................. 58
6.2.1 Introducing the constructs ......................................................................................58
6.2.2 Four dimensions of the C4-DTN project activities .......................................................60
6.3 SOCIAL NETWORK ANALYSIS ABOUT THE C4-DTN PROJECT ......................................... 64
 6.4 ALTER-EGO NETWORK ANALYSIS ABOUT THE C4-DTN PROJECT .................................. 65
6.5 CONCLUDING REFLECTIONS ABOUT THE METHODS USED .............................................. 65
7 FORMULATING A RESEARCH PLAN OF PRODUCT INNOVATION
PROCESSES ................................................................................................... 67
7.1 FORMULATING A FOCUS OF THE RESEARCH PLAN .......................................................... 67
7.2 CONCEPTUAL CONSIDERATIONS IN THE RESEARCH PLAN .............................................. 71
7.3 HOW TO CAPTURE EVOLVING PRODUCT INNOVATION.................................................. 77
7.3.1 Interview..........................................................................................................78
7.3.2 Repertory grid....................................................................................................79
7.3.3 Social network analysis.........................................................................................80
7.3.4 Alter-ego network analysis.....................................................................................81
7.3.5 Observation ......................................................................................................82
7.3.6 Interconnectedness of used techniques ........................................................................83
7.4 METHODOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS IN THE RESEARCH PLAN ..................................... 83
7.4.1 A perspective of social processes of product innovation processes .........................................84
7.4.2 Problems when studying social processes of product innovation processes...............................85
7.4.3 Selecting a product innovation processes .....................................................................85
7.5 TENTATIVE IMPLICATIONS FROM KNOWLEDGE OF EARLY PHASES .................................. 87
7.5.1 Concluding remarks.............................................................................................87
REFERENCES:..................................................................................................... 89

APPENDIX 1: Kelly’s fundamental postulate and corollaries .....................................................97

APPENDIX 2: Reduced elements used ......................................................................................99
APPENDIX 3: Guidelines for the structured interview............................................................101
APPENDIX 4: Data generated based on the repertory grid technique.....................................108
APPENDIX 5: Guidelines for the structured interview............................................................116
APPENDIX 6: Ascribed meaning to generated constructs........................................................123
LIST OF FIGURES
FIGURE 1 Disposition of forthcoming chapters ......................................................................... 6
FIGURE 2 Logic within the process of structuration ................................................................ 21
FIGURE 3 Structural properties of relationships to modalities................................................... 23
FIGURE 4 Visualizing the content effect on action .................................................................. 26
FIGURE 5 A dynamic model of product innovation processes.................................................. 33
FIGURE 6 A general process of using the repertory grid technique .......................................... 37
FIGURE 7 A V-diagram on the use of common elements ........................................................ 44
FIGURE 8 Activities performed when testing the repertory grid technique .............................. 46
FIGURE 9 Evolving the research plan through a V-diagram..................................................... 70
FIGURE 10 The beginning and end of the early phase............................................................... 71
FIGURE 11 Intended moments of information collection within the early phase........................ 78

LIST OF TABLES
TABLE 1 Search words, their combinations, and number of hits............................................. 11
TABLE 3 Institutional content and action related to innovativeness ........................................ 25
TABLE 4 A simplified model of the innovation process .......................................................... 30
TABLE 6 A simplified example of a social network analysis matrix ......................................... 40
TABLE 7 A simplified example of an alter-ego network analysis matrix .................................. 41
TABLE 8 The five fixed constructs used in the repertory grid................................................. 49
TABLE 9 The activities identified as appropriate elements ...................................................... 50
TABLE 10 Constructs varimax rotated factor loadings on components...................................... 58
TABLE 11 Highly correlated constructs.................................................................................... 59
TABLE 12 Elements relation to components ............................................................................ 61
TABLE 13 Activities used......................................................................................................... 66
TABLE 14 The pillars and carriers of institutions ...................................................................... 75
1 INTRODUCTION

I nnovations are not created by themselves. It is through hard work of thought and action made within
a product innovation process. In this chapter, I will introduce the topic of individuals engaging in a
product innovation process and define the purpose of this thesis.

Today, many firms are competing in a turbulent dynamic environment characterized

by constant and rapid changes in products offered on the market. A firm’s capability of
renewal is considered important for both survival and future prosperity; as such, firms
rely on their product innovation ability. In most cases, companies perform incremental
product innovations that focus on minor improvements or simple adjustments. Over
time, companies acting in turbulent environments will encounter great leaps in, for
instance, technology. Examples in modern times include the first mobile phone,
pocket calculator, or jet engine. In this sense, a firm’s product innovation process
cannot solely focus on incremental innovation; thus, these radical product innovations
may be perceived as a key source of a firm’s long-term competitive advantage (e.g.
Greve & Taylor, 2000). Combining this with a tendency for shorter product life
cycles, which increases the number of both incremental and radical innovation
processes, leads to a greater need to understand a firm’s product innovation processes.

Studies have identified different factors in incremental and radical innovation

processes. One important factor in both cases is the use of cross-functional teams1
(Ernst, 2002; Brown & Eisenhardt, 1995) or cross-professional2. An assumption in the
use of cross-functional or cross-professional teams is that individuals need other
perspectives during the innovation process. On the contrary, there is an implicit
assumption in use of teams where individuals represent the same function or
profession that they are unable to defy the perspectives of others. In relation to
innovation, this forms a paradox, since innovation by definition is represented by a
new thought or/and action. How can something new be made when everyone sees it
in the same way? One possible explanation is to view the product innovation process
as consisting of individuals who are exposed to social processes, which reshape their
thoughts3, actions,4 and interactions5 within this process. However, there is a
fundamental question concerning firm’s product innovation process to be addressed:
if innovation is a social process, then how do individuals perform their specific tasks
within the context of innovation? As a social process, product innovation results from
the interaction of individuals, but the action may also be divided in tasks to be solved.
Participating individuals must agree on some level; in this way, they are
interdependent even though individuals independently may perform thought and
action. It seems as if action toward product innovation results from a dynamic
1
Cross-functional teams refer to individuals who represent different organizational skills with a high degree of
interdependence (Holland et al., 2000).
2
Cross-professional teams refer to individuals who represent different areas of expertise.
3
Thought is defined as an individual’s conscious representation toward their frames of reference (Mandler, 2004).
4
Action is defined as a purposeful act by an agent within a situation to achieve an anticipated consequence (Argyris et al.,
1985; Giddens, 1979).
5
Interaction represents the interplay of individuals with significant others, for example, through communication.

1
interplay between social and cognitive dimensions of individuals participating in the
product innovation process.

1.1 THE SOCIAL PROCESS OF PRODUCT INNOVATION

Some argue that innovation is easy; it is just a question of hard work. Others argue
that there is more to achieving innovation. One notable innovator is Thomas Edison.
Although he received all of the credit for the innovations that he made, Edison was
surrounded by several competent individuals. Carlson and Gorman (1990) analyze
Edison’s innovation in motion pictures (the kinetoscope) as a cognitive process. I will
use their illustration, in my words, in order to illustrate the social process undergoing a
product innovation process.

The innovation process started from an analogy of the phonograph. Edison wanted to create
an innovation that “does for the Eye what the phonograph does for the Ear” (Carlson and
Gorman, 1990). This vision was based on a discussion with Eadward Muybridge, who
showed Edison how a sequence of pictures could create the illusion of motion. Based on
Edison’s initial frame of reference,6 he proposed a model based on a technical solution
similar to what was used in the phonograph. He replaced the sound grooves of the record
cylinder with a continuous spiral of photographs both making it possible to take photographs
and display them. As such, the revolutionary idea evolved from familiar mechanical
representations. Edison selected experimenter William Kennedy Laurie Dickson and a few
assistants to help with the development. Edison worked on the motion due to his electrical
and mechanical knowledge from previous projects, while Dickson worked on the
photographic and optical representations due to knowledge in the area of photography.

In time and space, Dickson experimented with different solutions of microphotographs and
after several negative unintended consequences, he was ready to give up the idea of coating a
cylinder based on the phonograph representation. Meanwhile, Edison used his frame of
reference on electromechanical operation in order to solve the rotary and intermittent motions
expected to be used. Based on a meeting with Etienne J. Marey, describing the technique
used in a camera, which could take exposures in 1/1000th of a second and produce sixty
frames per second, Edison changed his view of using a spiral of images wrapped around a
cylinder in favor of a straight photographic strip. While Edison hade an embryo of what
was to become a kinetoscope his experimenter decided to work on a mental model based on
the tachyscope, about which he had read. As such, Dickson’s and Edison’s frames of
reference did not share full representations about the features of a kinetoscope, leading to
deviant actions.

Dickson demonstrated that motion pictures could be projected and synchronized with sound,
but Edison was not impressed, ordering him to drop this line of work. A simple
explanation for this is that Dickson’s model did not fit to Edison’s mental representation of
a kinetoscope in terms of construction and marketing assumptions. This resulted in Dickson
6
A frame of reference represents a mental template, schema, or cognitive structure, giving guidance to thought, action,
and interaction (Walch, 1995). The concept of frame of reference is further elaborated in Section 3.2.

2
 turning to Edison’s view of a strip. However, the projection affected Edison’s frame of
reference, since they decided to build separate machines for recording and displaying motion
pictures. The action of gluing the ends of celluloid film into narrow strips and cutting a
series of notches along one edge, which engaged an intermittently driven gearwheel, resulted
in a working model that, over time, gave the unintended consequence of rapidly chewing up
the film. Based on this, Dickson drew upon his frame of reference, guiding him towards a
mechanical representation in an old telegraph instrument using punched paper tape. After
new tests and reviewed consequences of the one row of perforations, Dickson discovered that
the wider films required perforations on both edges in order to advance the film smoothly.
This resulted in a working model with horizontally-fed film, moving from enclosed reels on
either side of the lens. Later versions were modified to vertically feed film and synchronize
sound, which fulfilled Edison’s initial frame of reference (vision).

Turning to the question again, how do individuals perform their specific tasks within
the context of innovation? In the case of Edison and Dickson, it seems likely that their
frame of reference guided them towards certain mental representations (thoughts) and
actions to accomplish the innovation; at the same time, however, it restricted their
perspectives. The innovation process seemed to be a social process where engaged
individuals exchanged representations. However, at several times their representations
were altered due to alternative perspectives of others or unintended consequences of
action. This could imply a reproduction of mental representations in Edison’s and
Dickson’s frames of reference (homogeneity) leading to unified action, anticipated
consequences, and altered perspectives through input of others (heterogeneity) and
unintended consequences of action and interaction.

1.2 THOUGHT, ACTION, AND INTERACTION IN PRODUCT

INNOVATION PROCESSES
From an institutional perspective, individuals engaging an innovation process in time
and space both forms and are formed by structures7. Giddens (1984) suggests that
structures are produced and reproduced throughout the innovation process, guiding
individuals towards innovation. These formed structures should support the
individuals in their process of creating an innovation. According to Burns and Scapens
(2000), these structures impose form and social coherence on individuals’ activities
“through the production and reproduction of settled habits of thought and action.”
Over time, these guiding structures of thought, action and interaction for innovation
will take the form of rules and routines. In this way, formally recognized rules guide
how “things should be done” as well as coordinate and give coherence to group
action. Routines,8 on the other hand, constitute how “things are actually done”
through a rule-based programmatic behavior. In this sense, the realms of thought and
action will form structures through a dynamic and iterative process of interplay.
Brunsson (2002) illustrates these realms of thought and action:
7
A structure represents structural properties as in the arrangement of and relations between something complex in action
and interaction (Giddens, 1979). Thus, it is not related to the shape or construction of features within a product
innovation process.
8
The concept of routines will be further explored in Section 7.2

3
 “Ideas can range widely in time and space; ideas may be about the past, the future,
or things that are far away; action happens in the here and now. Ideas about the
future in particular need not be confused or constrained by action. Thought is not
subject to the same powerful restrictions as action; we can easily think or talk about
actions which we cannot actually perform. Against this freedom of thought we have
the constraints and limitations of action.”

Although freedom of thought exists, it is restricted by participating individuals’ frames

of reference. During the thought process, individuals draw on their frames of
reference, which constitute an overall framework for possible thoughts. Due to their
frames of reference selective filtering of perceptions, their frames of reference will
guide their thoughts in the direction of their knowledge representation (frame of
reference). Hypothetically, this implies that for an individual who does not have
anything in their frame of reference to which they relate, innovative thought will
literally be unthinkable. In this sense, participating individuals present frames of
reference will selectively filter their thoughts and actions in other directions. Thus, it
will be impossible to take action or to form guiding structures for innovation. In a
similar way, Brunsson (2002) describes how participating individuals may have a
standardizing effect on thought, which leads to what Janis (1972) calls “groupthink.”
In groupthink, participating individuals show homogeneity in their frames of
reference, which makes thoughts and actions outside of the present structure
unthinkable. In contrast, Van de Ven (1986) describes how a single innovative idea
expressed to others evolves into multiple ideas through participants diverse frames of
reference that filter their perceptions. This may be described as a state of heterogeneity
in frames of reference among individuals participating in the innovation process;
however, heterogeneity may be seen as a risk if individual’s frames of reference are too
divergent, resulting in lack of understanding and an inability to form adequate
structures to guide action toward innovations.

Derived from the discussions above it is likely that individuals engaging in a well-
functioning innovation process must balance the need for structures to coordinate
thought for unified action with the need of lack in structures for unrestrained thought
and thus heterogenic frames of reference that proliferate into new thoughts. Providing
a more profound understanding of how frame of reference, thought, action, and
interaction evolves within an innovation process may assist future project managers in
forming structures to facilitate innovation. From a research point of view, there seems
to be a lack of innovation literature in terms of cognitive perspectives and their
relation to the product innovation process.

1.3 RESEARCH PURPOSE

Let us return to the question at hand: how do individuals perform innovations? The
discussion above has shed some light on the need to balance frames of reference,
thoughts, and actions in order to create a structure that enables individuals to create an

4
innovation. Nevertheless, this is an unexplored area and therefore a great task to deal
with in the scope of this thesis. A first step, however, is to conceptually address how
individuals’ frames of reference evolves during the innovation process. To address this
empirically, I will face difficulties in linking theory and practice; therefore, a second
step is needed to test and evaluate techniques to study how these frames of reference
evolves within an innovation process. However, a full test and evaluation of the
research plan is restricted due to time limitations.

Since thought, action, and interaction may be studied by well-documented methods,

the significant area of interest in this thesis is to determine if individuals’ frames of
reference about the innovation process may be captured. This test will be performed
in relation to one member of a product innovation process. If the technique is tested
on one individual, it will most likely work out well on other individuals participating
in the innovation process. The technique to be tested has already been used to capture
several individuals’ frames of reference but not, to my knowledge, in the context of a
product innovation process. Nevertheless, if the technique work out well on one
individual it will likely work out well on other participating individuals.

An important distinction related to thoughts and actions affect on structure is whether

individuals’ frames of reference about the innovation or the innovation process within
the context of the innovation are of interest. As previously mentioned, structures in
individuals’ frames of reference affecting thought, action, and interaction might both
facilitate and obstruct the development of innovations. It is possible that common or
different frames of reference in certain steps within the process as well as common or
different frames of reference about the product both might facilitate and obstruct
development of the innovation. Therefore, the main interest in this thesis is the
development of frames of reference within and about the innovation process, where
the product could be one parameter affecting the development within the process.

Derived from this discussion, the overall purpose of this thesis is to develop and
choose techniques in order to create a greater understanding of how the social process
of a product innovation process evolves in terms of individual frames of reference,
thoughts, actions, and interactions. More specifically, the research purposes are to (1)
develop a conceptual model of the product innovation process in respect to the
dynamic interplay between social and cognitive dimensions; (2) formulate a research
plan for a significant test of the model; (3) empirically test a significant part of the
research plan on one individual participating in a product innovation process; and
based on the empirical test (4) develop a research plan.

1.4 OUTLINE OF THIS THESIS

This thesis consists of seven chapters (Figure 1). This chapter introduces the theoretical
problem; the next chapter accounts for the scientific positioning characterizing and
guiding this thesis and thus issues related to ontological and epistemological
considerations. Chapter 3 deals with the theoretical framework related to product

5
innovation processes and its relation to individuals' frames of reference, thoughts,
actions, and interactions. In Chapter 4, techniques to address the theoretical concepts
are presented, with a thorough introduction to the repertory grid technique. A
significant test is performed in Chapter 5 analyzed in Chapter 6, and its implications
are discussed as the foundation for the research plan in Chapter 7.
Chapter 2
Accounts for the scientific positioning of this thesis

Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6

Chapter 1 Chapter 7
Account for Towards a Testing a Analyzing the
Introduction theoretical research plan significant significant test Formulating
to aspect of the social part of the a research
innovation concerning and cognitive research plan
processes innovation dimensions plan
processes

FIGURE 1 Disposition of forthcoming chapters

6
2 SCIENTIFIC POSITIONING AND THESIS REALIZATION

T his chapter will address methodology, describing the scientific positioning of the ontological,
epistemological, and methodological approaches in this thesis. Furthermore, the research design
and realization of this study will be discussed. Practical aspects concerning these methods are explored in
Chapter 4.

2.1 ONTOLOGICAL POSITIONING

The researcher’s ontological and epistemological standpoint is in its essence
fundamental assumptions about the construction of reality and knowledge. One way
of describing ontological assumptions is with an objectively given reality as opposed to
a subjective, actor-dependent point of view (Arbnor & Bjerke, 1994). A researcher
taking an objective position bases their work on the assumption of a given reality,
which may be described as independent of observing actors. A typical way of
researching the innovation process based on an objective viewpoint is attempting to
explain the activities involved in a best practice innovation process (e.g. Song &
Montoya-Weiss, 1998; Cooper & Kleinschmidt, 1987). A researcher taking a
subjective position, on the other hand, proceeds from the assumption that existing
reality is based on multiple mental constructions that sometimes overlap among
individuals. In this way, there will be multiple true realities; some are more well-
developed and sophisticated than others. An example of research based on this
assumption would be to create understanding of member’s perspectives and
viewpoints within an innovation process.

In accordance with Campbell (1988) and Bryman (2002), I do not see these as two
solitary extremes but rather as dualistic, with the possibility to combine the two
perspectives. In this sense, this thesis shares the ontological view that reality consists of
both physical objects that may be described and explained in a fairly objective manner
but in the same time influenced and consisting of a highly
subjective and individualistic phenomena. To further illustrate this
ontological perspective, product innovations are viewed as
physical objects possible to describe in a fairly objective manner.
A handheld may be described as consisting of a screen, buttons
and a certain material etc. In this way, each actor may give a
subjective construction of the innovation that corresponds to
other actors view in an objective manner and hence, the
innovation may be described as an object that objectively consists of a structure and is
affected by causal laws. On the other hand, the innovation may be seen as a highly
subjective construction where different actors will give different descriptions about
what the innovation may be used for and furthermore, these descriptions will vary in
time and space. This subjective nature gives a richer description of ideas, beliefs, and
knowledge, thus increasing the objective knowledge obtained through our senses. It is
possible to give a fairly objective description based on a collective subjective
understanding even though it is originally influenced and consisting of a highly

7
subjective construction. This view dissociates from naive positivism and the purest
form of constructivism, even though having traits of both. In this sense, the
ontological view in this thesis resembles critical realism (e.g. Campbell, 1988;
Patomäki & Wight, 2000; Archer et al., 1998).

2.2 EPISTEMOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS OF INNOVATION

The ontology assumptions about the nature of reality affect the view of how to create
knowledge and the knowledge in relation to the researcher. From a positivist
ontological view, the researcher explains objective states or constitutes the fact of
reality; in this way, knowledge is created by detecting statistical regularities that may
explain relationships and facts of reality. In the constructivist view, reality is far too
complex to understand; therefore, knowledge is achieved through increased
understanding and interpretations of reality. The ontological view of critical realism
characterizing this study combines these two perspectives to form an objective
measurable reality and a subjective describable reality. Drawing from Kelly
(1955/1991), physical objects and subjective thought are equally real, although they
do not always correspond to each other in time and space. Weick (1979) illustrates
this, asking “how can I know what I think until I see what I say?” The view of this
thesis is that both a subjective and an objective reality exist, but they can be only
imperfectly depicted. As such, knowledge may be created through a triangulation
effort, combining subjective levels and objects with different ways of inquiring
descriptions and data about reality (e.g. Campbell, 1988, Arbnor & Bjerke, 1994; Yin,
2003).

Implicit in the question of how knowledge is created is what defines true knowlege.
What is true knowledge? Is it true if it corresponds with reality, describes the inner
meaning of something, or is coherent with what is used in reality? In this thesis, the
view of true knowledge is related to the correspondence between subjective
statements and objective reality which partly may be explained and described but only
imperfectly depicted since the subjective dimension cannot be perfectly explained and
understood. On the other hand, the subjective meaning may be partly described
through expressions but without a complete objective explanation. True knowledge
may also be seen through its use; true knowledge arises when subjective frames of
reference correspond to repeated similar holistic understandings (e.g. Alvesson &
Sköldberg, 1994). However, the view of true knowledge is more closely related to the
view of truth as participating individuals’ subjective meaning in the sense of describing
an individual’s frame of reference and its corresponding meaning to a logical
wholeness. This is due to differences in individual descriptions of the same objective
innovation or innovation process to which they should correspond.

In research, there are two common ways of searching and argumenting for
knowledge. One proceeds from the specific to the general (induction); the other, from
the general to the specific (deduction). Since this thesis has its point of departure from
an ontological standpoint of both objects possible to explain and understanding of

8
constructions, this implies a process of knowledge creation related to both induction
and deduction. This alternate observation and theoretically driven knowledge creation
is called abduction. However, the argumentation may be similar to deductive
reasoning. In the context of this thesis, this implies a process in which knowledge of
individual frames of reference in product innovation processes is created through a
triangulation of methods with an alternately refined theoretical understanding.

2.3 METHODOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS CHARACTERIZING THIS

THESIS
Methodology concerns “how to know” or attempts to investigate and thus gain
knowledge about reality (Denzin & Lincoln, 1994; Burrell & Morgan, 1985). The
way in which knowledge is gained is closely related to the researcher’s ontological and
epistemological view of reality. With a positivist ontology, a researcher attempts to
create knowledge by explaining objective facts; in this situation, the human is seen as
an instrument that responds to stimuli and thereby possible to read and gather
information about certain actions, resulting in a best practice innovation process. In
contrast, constructivist ontology is related to descriptions of complex individuals in
order to understand how they create and describe the essence of the innovation
process. This view increases the focus on specific individuals in the methods used to
obtain knowledge. In this thesis, knowledge must be gained directly from the subject
in order to describe their frame of reference, providing an in-depth understanding of
the innovation process prior to any attempts to explain.

To understand the evolution of an individual’s frame of reference during the

innovation process, various methods may be used. However, since the focus is on
frames of reference and therefore intrinsic thoughts within an individual, they cannot
be objectively observed. The only way to gain such knowledge is by asking the
individual. It is important to differentiate between explicit and implicit thoughts.
Knowledge of explicit thoughts may be studied through documents or different forms
of interviews with the help of text analysis. To depict implicit thoughts that constitute
an individual’s frame of reference, different forms of interviews may be used with the
aim to get in depth of the individuals thoughts. In this thesis, the repertory grid
technique will be used to illustrate the underlying frames of reference. In order to
describe explicit modes of thought, two forms of social network analysis will be used.

From a philosophical standpoint, the repertory grid technique may be seen as a form
of structured interview aimed to reveal an individual’s frame of reference (for a
practical description, see Section 4.1). This is made when an individual relates
generated elements and constructs by grading them on a nine-point Likert scale. In
this sense, the method tries to measure highly subjective elements by objectifying
components in the individual’s frame of reference. In the same way, social network
analysis (see Section 4.2) and alter-ego network analysis (see Section 4.3) uses numbers
to measure explicit thoughts by counting the number of times thought about an
element or explicit thoughts in the form of contacts made to discuss a element with

9
someone else. From a philosophical standpoint, these methods seem to have an
inherent congruity toward the critical realism paradigm.

2.4 RESEARCH DESIGN

The overall purpose of this study is to create a greater understanting of the social
process of product innovation in terms of individual frames of reference, thoughts,
actions, and interactions and display how the frames of reference of participating actors
evolve during an innovation process. In this sense a deep understanding of involved
individuals’ frames of reference, thoughts, actions, and interaction within an
innovation process is sought and derived from those individuals’ while similarities
among individuals will be explored based on a group level of analysis, but still with the
view of similarities among separate individuals. According to Yin (2003), possible
methods include experiments, surveys, archival analysis, history, and case studies. Since
individuals’ frames of reference are constantly produced and reproduced, history or
archival analysis cannot be used, since it would be difficult to interpret in terms of
present frames of reference. In view of the fact that this thesis seeks in-depth
understanding, a survey would not provide enough insight for interpretation, although
it could be used for capturing explicit thoughts and interactions. Since this study does
not need to control behavioral events, experiments are seen as too extensive compared
to the aim of this study. Instead, it may be useful to reflect actors’ frames of reference,
thoughts, actions and interactions within the natural environment of individuals in the
product innovation process. In favore for a case study approach is the intention to
describe all participating actors’ frames of reference in an innovation process and the
richness in aspects of an actor’s frame of reference, thoughts, actions and interactions.
The nature of understanding characterized by the research question, combined with
the focus on the contemporary innovation process, makes a case study design most
appropriate. A single case study will be conducted due to the critical need to make a
significant test in order to both develop elements and test the possibility to use these
elements in several techniques to depict frames of reference, thoughts, actions, and
interactions (e.g. Yin, 2003).

2.5 LITERATURE REVIEW

The literature review was conducted from the EBSCO, (Academic Search
Elite, Business Source Elite) Emerald, Science Direct, and Blackwell Synergy
databases. To conduct a search, key words were identified (see Table 1) based on early
scattered searches, suggestions from co-workers and supervisors. Single-, double-,
triple-, and all word-searches were performed so that all possible combinations were
considered. The selection among the hits where made based on perceived importance
in title and abstract in relation to the purpose of this study. By reviewing references in
the selected literature and suggestions from co-workers and supervisors, additional
works were identified.

10
TABLE 1 Search words, their combinations, and number of hits
Total DOUBLE Total Total
SINGLE SEARCH hits hits TRIPLE SEARCH hits
SEARCH
1) Innovation OR
>10 000 5) 1. AND 2. 431 11) 1. AND 2. AND 3. 60
“Product development”
2) Cognitive OR Scripts
OR Schemas OR >10 000 6) 1. AND 3. >10 000 12) 1. AND 2. AND 4. 89
“Frame of reference”
3) Team OR Project OR
>10 000 7) 1. AND 4. 7447 13) 1. AND 3. AND 4. 797
Collaboration
4) Institution OR Structure
>10 000 8) 2. AND 3. 1882 14) 2. AND 3. AND 4. 309
OR Action
ALL WORDS- Total
9) 2. AND 4. 7569 hits
SEARCH
15) 1. AND 2. AND 3.
10) 3. AND 4. >10 000 11
AND 4.

After selecting and reviewing the literature and discussions on seminars with valuable
insights from colleagues, supervisors and other researchers, additional searches where
conducted using the words “innovation process” and “structuration,” in combination
with the synonymous words for frame of reference used in the first search (Se nr 2 in
Table 1). These additional searches were conducted in order to obtain knowledge
about areas that were not included in the early searches. This rendered a small number
of hits with few relevant articles. Some of these articles were also identified in the first
search and thus not included as relevant.

After the significant test had been performed and analyzed, it implied a need to search
based on identity, routines, and fuzzy front-end. Identity was selected later as a
theoretical area to increase understanding of the relationship between frame of
reference, thought, action, and interaction in the product innovation process. Searches
on identity and routines were made in a selective manner in order to receive highly
relevant articles; as such, the Science and Social Science Citation Index was used for
these searches. The results were sorted based on the number of citations. In this way,
articles where found which other have seen as relevant and if highly cited it also
increases the possibility to find articles being influential within its area. Selection
among these highly cited articles were based on a review of their abstract. Selected
articles were used in additional searches for related records based on the criteria of
using the same references. This resulted in handful relevant articles, which could be
used for additional understanding about product innovation processes. In the late
phase of this thesis, a third search was performed to further limit the area of product
innovation processes into the early phase. This was a result of the experience collected
during the significant test, which gave the search word, fuzzy front end. This gave a
few relevant hits, even if the search was performed in all databases listed above.

11
12
3 CONCEPTUALIZING THE PRODUCT INNOVATION PROCESS

F rames of reference may be seen as a fundamental feature that both enables and constrains an
individual’s thoughts, actions, and interactions. This chapter will address the theoretical frame of
reference in order to understand thought, action, and interaction in the product innovation process.

3.1 THE PRODUCT INNOVATION PROCESS

An early author to indirect describe innovation is Schumpeter (1994)9 in his definition
of production as new products or a new combination or use of resources.
Contemporary authors, such as Dewar & Dutton (1986), define innovation “as an
idea, practice, or material artifact perceived to be new by the relevant unit of
adoption.” Included indirectly in each of these definitions is a view of innovation as
an outcome. However, this view of innovation does not differentiate the degree of
perceived newness about the content embodied in the innovation. Dewar & Dutton
(1986) evolve the definition to this fact and separate into radical and incremental
innovations. In their view, similar to the definition by McDermott & O’Connor
(2002), incremental innovations are characterized by minor improvements or simple
adjustments in current products or processes, while radical innovations involve
fundamental and revolutionary changes that represent a substantial departure from the
existing practice (Dewar & Dutton, 1986; Chandy & Tellis 2000; cf. McDermott &
O’Connor, 2002). In order to classify the degree of radical innovation different
methods have been used. Dewar & Dutton (1986) describes a perspective based on the
level of new knowledge embedded in the innovation. Based on this level, it is difficult
to distinguish a point of transition on the continuum between incremental and radical
innovation; in contrast, an alternate classification is based on the perceived level of risk
(radical innovations are associated with higher levels). All of these definitions view
innovation as a subjective phenomenon. Similarly, Van de Ven (1986) describes
innovation as relative to a subjective perceived degree of newness about an
innovation, even though others may perceive it as an imitation of something that
exists elsewhere. This subjective feature is similar to a perspective of innovation
described as a process of collective creation, which leads to the outcome of the
innovation.

This thesis focuses on innovation without distinguishing between incremental and

radical. Specifically, I will focus on the subjective innovation process regardless of
whether the innovation afterwards is perceived or measured as incremental or radical.
This choice is related to the focus on processes, which implies reliance on subjective
appreciations and apprehensions, whether the innovation will end up as incremental
or radical. Although some studies indicate differences between the activities performed
in incremental and radical innovation processes (e.g. Koberg, Detienne, & Heppard,
2003), focusing on a cognitive, institutional, and structuration perspective reveals the
9
I have used a book, which reprint collections of chapters from different books written by Schumpeter. This chapter was
originally published in 1934.

13
thoughts, actions, interactions, and routines that lead to intended or unintended
consequences and thus produce or reproduce the structures that govern the social
setting. For example, Royston (1989) describes how innovation may depend on
serendipity to a large degree. If it is luck, then a process with different degrees of
unintended consequences is likely whether the innovation is incremental or radical.
Nevertheless, it is likely that an innovation process that is characterized as more radical
may face greater unintended consequences concerning the fundamental features of the
product. However, this may not be the case when it comes to the actions being
performed within the process, which may be performed as planed. Based on this
discussion, I define the product innovation process as a social setting resulting in a
product and emerging from participating individuals’ frames of reference guiding their
thoughts, actions, and interactions.

3.2 COGNITION IN THE PRODUCT INNOVATION PROCESS

In the introduction of this thesis, it is argued that an individual’s ability to innovate
may be based on differences or similarities in frames of reference guiding their
thoughts and actions. This individual level is extracted to a group analysis that provides
an understanding of the effects that these frames of reference may have on a group’s
ability to produce innovation. However, the theoretical area is complex in terms of
abstraction, assumptions, and language use.

The first step is to understand the concept of frame of reference and its relationship to
thought and action. Several terms are used to refer to frames of reference in the
literature, such as cognitive structures, knowledge structures, schemas, and scripts, all
referring to a similar concept (e.g. Walsh, 1995). According to Fiske and Taylor
(1991), schemas concern individuals’ “cognitive structures that represent knowledge
about a concept or type of stimulus including, its attributes and the relations among
the attributes.” This definition focuses on the content of the frame of reference; other
definitions also include individual use of frames of reference. Westenholz (1993)
defines frame of reference as describing individuals’ strategies in order to make sense
out of situations in the form of representations, which Weick (1995) argues are
formed through retrospective experiences when individuals try to make sense out of
the situations that they encounter. Similarly, Walsh (1995) refers to a mental template
that individuals impose on an information environment to give it form and meaning.
In this way, individual knowledge structures order the information environment,
enabling subsequent interpretation (thought) and action.

Thus, a frame of reference is related to a cognitive phenomenon representing a

complex network of knowledge about an information setting. As individuals engage in
a social setting, they use their frames of reference to make sense of that particular
setting. These frames of reference guide the interpretation of the environment as well
as the thoughts, actions, and interactions made within that environment. Harris (1994)
emphasizes frame of reference as dynamic knowledge structures regarding specific
concepts, entities, and events used by individuals to efficiently encode and represent

14
incoming information. These are typically conceptualized as subjective theories
derived from one’s experiences about how the world operates, which guides
perception, memory, and inferences. The important extension in this definition is the
explicit view of individuals’ frames of reference as dynamic in nature (and thus
continuously produced and reproduced in an information environment. This constant
modification, however, results not only directly from experience but also indirectly
through stories, myths, etc. As a result, self-induced reflection may result in a modified
frame of reference (e.g. Walsh & Charalambides, 1990). Based on the discussion
above, frames of reference are defined in this thesis as continuously altered mental
templates that filter and order an information environment, subsequently guiding
thought, action, and interaction.

This definition proceeds from the assumption that individuals are always filtering and
interpreting information in the product innovation process based on their present
frames of reference. However, it is likely that an individual’s present frame of
reference is meaningless in some encountered context, which entails the individual’s
response of action as guided by the context itself rather than as a frame of reference
based on experience. Turning to one’s frame of reference implies the use of a present
frame of reference to understand a new or altering context (Nilsson, 1998), which
cannot be fully understood through past and perhaps irrelevant experience. In both
cases, this results in a modified frame of reference, which may later assist in guiding
future thoughts and actions for use in that particular situation or in other contexts
(Walsh, 1995). This reasoning resembles what Louis and Sutton (1991) call shifts in
automatic and conscious modes of cognition. In the automatic mode, individuals use
“habits of mind” to guide thoughts and actions; thus, present frames of reference are
efficient to guide perception, interpretation, and responses in a familiar situation.
However, Louis and Sutton argue that situations that both are new and perceived as
new (and thus lack a present frame of reference) will cause the individual to switch to
a conscious mode of cognition.

In the product innovation process, the automatic mode of cognition is represented

when thought and action represent habitual patterns in the way of doing things. Walsh
(1995) suggests that individuals approach the product innovation process based on
their present frame of reference which guidies their thoughts and actions; thus
affecting their ability “to attend to, encode, and make inferences about new
information.” In this sense, individuals use of automatic mode of cognition will,
according to Walsh (1995), lead to increased problem solving ability, or in my terms,
increased ability for coordinated action. However, Walsh also discusses several
negative effects of individuals’ use of present frames of reference that may affect the
product innovation process. An individual’s use of present knowledge structures may
encourage stereotypic thinking, resulting in a lack in ability of new thoughts and
actions towards innovation. In addition, individuals may fill gaps in their data with
typical but perhaps inaccurate information, prompting one to ignore discrepant and
possibly important information, discourage disconfirmation of the existing frame of
reference, and inhibit creative problem-solving.

15
When applying the notion of individuals’ frames of reference in the context of a
product innovation process, all individuals procede from a frame of reference before
forming a new idea and developing an innovation. Drawing on the arguments of
Dougherty (1992), individual frames of reference reflect the style individuals organize
their thinking and action about an innovation while function as barriers in terms of
shared assumptions about reality, identifying relevant issues and helping people to
make sense of those issues. Harris (1994) argues that individual frames of reference
serves as mental maps that enable individuals to traverse and orient themselves within
their experiential terrain as well as guide interpretations of the past, present, and
future. Individual frames of reference become similar due to shared experiences and
shared exposure to social cues regarding others’ constructions of reality. Since frames
of reference are summaries of experiential knowledge, sharing experiential space and
time as well as the challenge posed by communicating, interacting, and solving
common problems facilitate and encourage the development of similar frames of
reference.

By extracting the effects of individual frames of reference through group level of

analysis, it seems reasonable that individuals sharing the same experience develop
homogeneity in their frames of reference, which both enables and inhibits thought
and action toward a product innovation. Boland and Tenkasi (1995) emphasize that
effective innovation necessitates both perspective making and perspective taking. As
such, a group of individuals engaging in a product innovation process must develop
their frames of reference in order to strengthen their knowledge domain and practices
and recieve (and understand) the perspective of others in order to modify their present
frame of reference. When the group comes together, some aspects of individual frames
of reference will overlap, and some will not. A shared frame of reference emerges
from shared experience and a social process characterized by negotiation and
argumentation as well as by a host of unarticulated internal and external triggers for
change (Langfield-Smith, 1992). Over time, when the group has formed an enough
overlapping or shared frames of reference, it is possible for the group to take unified
action (Fiol, 1994). Based on this, it seems reasonable that homogeneity in terms of
overlapping or shared frames of reference will increase the group’s ability to take
action toward an innovation. However, group homogeneity in frames of reference
may inhibit new ideas and creative problem-solving (Walsh, 1995). This resembles
what Janis (1972) call groupthink. Similarly, Stubbart and Ramaprasad (1990) stress
how the strength of individual present frames of reference increases with repeated
practice, which entails increased inflexibility, lack of reflection, and reduced
perceptive ability within the situation.

If homogeneity in individual frames of reference inhibits new ideas and creative

problem-solving, then logically this would mean that heterogeneity in individual
frames of reference is a desirable state. In Van de Ven’s (1986) view, individuals
engaging in a social process express a single innovative idea that evolves into multiple
ideas as a result of the participants’ diverse frames of reference. At the individual level,

16
this resembles Harris’s (1994) view of how present frames of reference guide
perception of and inferences about the information setting encountered. Nevertheless,
frames of reference that are too heterogeneous and do not overlap result in a lack of
understanding and thus an incapability to form ideas or guide action toward product
innovations. Thus, it seems reasonable that a group engaging in a product innovation
process must balance the need for homogeneity and heterogeneity in their frames of
reference.

3.3 PRODUCT INNOVATION PROCESSES AND INDIVIDUAL IDENTITY

Identity is a concept used in multiple levels of abstraction, such as individual-, group-,
and, organizational identity (Whetten, 2006), conceptualized with diverging
definitions. In addition, authors use different distinctions on the same concept as well
as similar definitions of different concepts, which make identity a complex idea to
comprehend (Jussim, Ashmore & Wilder, 2001). For example, it is difficult to
distinguish between identity, self-identity, and social identity. One aspect of identity
must address the question of “who am I”, since identity through action and
interaction with significant others is incorporated into the self-concept (Scott, 1997).
As such, the image, and expectations of associated behaviors become an important
dimension of the self-concept (Charng, Piliavin, & Callero, 1988). An important
distinction is an individual’s use of several identities. Smith-Lovin (2002) describes
how a connection to five alters (a wife, a son, an employer, and two co-workers)
generates four identities (husband, father, employee, and co-worker) in which each
relationship occupies a social position and an associated role (Scott, 1997). In the
context of a product innovation team, this implies that individuals ascribe and play
certain identities such as project manager and technical developer.

According to Charng, Piliavin, and Callero (1988), variations in identity depend on

the extent to which an identity internalizes as part of the self. Rousseau (1998)
discusses similarly but in terms of situated identification, only persisting as the
situational cues persists, and deep structure identification, which incorporates identity
into the self-concept, as parts of an individual’s social identity. Other authors (Meyer,
Becker, & van Dick, 2006; Patriotta, Francesco, & Lanzara, 2006) state that individuals
produce identities socially in discourse. Similarly, Willmott, (1996) argues that
“identity dependent upon the reproduction of discourses and practices that affirm its
reality … by embodied beings whose sense of identity is either confirmed or denied
through processes of accountability.” Thus, individual identity is a collective notion of
social exchange with significant others in constant production and reproduction of a
currently used identity.

Although identities evolve in social exchange through produced and reproduced

action and interaction, the very nature of identity is assumed otherwise. Giddens
(1991) states that the nature of individuals is “not to be found in behaviour, nor –
important though this is – in the reaction of others, but in the capacity to keep a
particular narrative going” (p.54). When Rousseau (1998) elaborate deep structure

17
identification she refers to “cognitive schema formed in work settings across roles,
over time, and across situations that leads to congruence between self-work and one’s
broader self concept” (p. 218). Based on this, it is important to note that identity refers
to a cognitive state in relation to significant others and not behavior, even though it
may influence behavior in terms of action and interaction (ibid).

How individual identity affects behavior in terms of action and interaction carried out
in product innovation processes is a central aspect of this thesis. Since identity forms
socially with reference to membership in different social categories (Meyer, Becker, &
van Dick, 2006), it is hardly astonishing when found related to in-group favoritism
(Schneider & Northcraft, 1999). Meyer, Becker & van Dick (2006) also presents other
important implications such as behavioral involvement, intra- and inter-group
relations, and stereotyping, all of which may have implications in the product
innovation process. In-group favouritism implies showing favour or partiality to the
individuals participating in the product innovation team or neglect of others with
equal or superior claims outside the group. By such action, valuable input of others in
ongoing production and reproduction of institutional traits may be neglected without
reason. In concrete terms, it could be feedback from an individual outside the group,
which would have altered some aspect of the innovation process if accounted by, for
example the project manager.

Stereotyping implies a fixed nature, which may be described as the opposite of

innovation. Smith-Lovin (2002) gives valuable insight on the effects of stereotyping
in product innovation processes. According to her, individuals participating in social
production and reproduction of action and interaction draw on their frame of
reference to define situations and interpret experiences. The more deeply structured
identity, the more likely a situation will be defined using that identity’s institutional
framework and the behaviors associated with it. Thus, individuals in a product
innovation process associate with a particular deep structured identity that guides their
thoughts and actions in the ongoing moments of action and interaction. As such, it is
highly likely that an individual who ascribe to different identities within a product
innovation process will lead to differences in thoughts and actions. That is, an
individual who includes project manager in his or her self-concept has certain
expectations of action (for instance, greater financial responsibility) within the context
of the product innovation process. Similarly, would a technical developer ascribe
certain technical functions more importance than the project manager. Therefore,
thought and action in product innovation processes cannot be discussed without
notice taken to the identity ascribed by each individual.

3.4 INSTITUTIONS AND INSTITUTIONALIZATION IN THOUGHT AND

ACTION
A study by Dougherty (1992) concludes that different departments within an
organization give different meanings to the term “market-orientation,” which is
considered important for innovation (Brown & Eisenhardt, 1995; Ernst, 2002). Based

18
on these findings, it seems reasonable that these meanings influence the product
innovation process. According to Hardy, Lawrence, and Grant (2005), a group must
have common constructions for effective collaboration. In this thesis, it is argued that
both similarity and dissimilarity is needed for effective product innovation processes.
The meanings or structures that individuals construct while participating in a product
innovation process may be seen as an effect of institutionalization. Two central
considerations are essential for understanding this influence on the innovation process:
the fundamental features of an institution and how institutions are (re)produced. These
two concepts are closely intertwined since the fundamental features of an institution
are altered in the production and reproduction of institutions.
3.4.1 Fundamental features of institutions
To define the institution, various authors (Giddens, 1979; Scott, 1995; Barley &
Tolbert, 1997; Burns & Scapens, 2000; Phillips, Lawrence, & Hardy, 2000) draw on
definitions with similar nuances on fundamental features of institutions. Scott (1995)
defines the institution as consisting “of cognitive, normative, and regulative structures
and activities that provide stability and meaning to social behavior... transported by
various carriers – cultures, structures, and routines.” Phillips, Lawrence, and Hardy
(2000) refer to institutions as taken-for-granted patterns of organizing that shape and
constrain the behavior of societal members. Burns and Scapens (2000) define
institutions as “a way of thought or action of some prevalence and permanence, which
is embedded in the habits of a group or the customs of a people.” In this aspect, Burns
and Scapens stress that “institutions can be regarded as imposing form and social
coherence upon human activity, through the production and reproduction of settled
habits of thought and action.”

Some aspects of these definitions appear to be central to understanding institutions. An

institution is not related to an objective phenomenon; it has a subjective nature that is
deeply rooted in the individual enclosed in the institutional context. Although the
individual is central, it is not a solitary unit of institutions. Most definitions include
social behavior, societal members, habits of a group, or customs of a people; however,
the institution is also related to ongoing moments of interaction within an individual
or among groups of individuals (Phillips, Lawrence, & Hardy, 2004). In these ongoing
moments of interaction, the institution may work as a filter for individual perception
and giving guidelines for social acceptance in the form of stabilized human activity. All
authors mention this stabilizing feature of institutions in their definitions; or in their
own words, ”provide stability and meaning”, “shape and constrain the behaviour”,
and “imposing form and social coherence” on individual’s or group meanings, actions,
and interactions.

According to Giddens (1979), another effect on individuals is the institution’s enabling

ability. While providing constraning stability, institutions also enable unified action. In
the sense, institutions give meaning to the individuals enclosed in the institutional
context by enabling action, even though it may seem like constrained thought and
action for an outsider. In the product innovation process, participating individuals

19
bring their existing institutions into the process, continuously producing and
reproducing these enabling and constraining structures through ongoing moments of
interaction. According to Scott (1995), these structures will be embodied in the form
of cognitive, normative, and regulative structures, which are all equally important.

A final fundamental feature of institutions is the condition of constant change in

enabling and constraining structures. Following the thoughts of Giddens (1979), the
duality in constant change of institutions concerns the fundamental features of
enabling and constraining structures. Since these structures affect the individual, they
will be a part of the individual’s ongoing moments of interaction; thus, individuals
both shape and are being shaped by institutions. In this sense, the institution is
impermanent, as individualized structures both enable and constrain individualized
thoughts and actions.
3.4.2 Institutionalization in thought and action
The process by which institutions are produced and reproduced is generally called
institutionalization. DiMaggio and Powell (1983) ask why institutions are so similar on
the macro level, but this thesis will focus on micro processes within each institution in
order to understand why individuals are guided in a similar manner. Perhaps the most
influential researcher in the area of institutionalization is Giddens. According to
Giddens’s (1979) structuration theory, the product innovation process can be seen as a
system of social interaction between individuals in regularized relations of
interdependence in time and space. Present product innovation processes constantly
guide future processes through the structural properties that are institutionalized as
codes for participating individuals’ actions. These structures are also a part of human
agency (see Figure 2), since the actions of individuals within the social system are
based on the same structures that form the social system. Thus, social systems and
human action, in other words institutionalized product innovation processes are
produced and reproduced in structural properties (e.g. Macintosh, 1994).

According to Macintosh (1994), structures are the implicit codes or templates that
guide individual action in social settings. These structures can change either gradually
or radically. Although independent of human agency, they are available for individuals
during social interaction in product innovation processes and are (re)produced by the
individuals in the ongoing moments of interaction (Giddens, 1979). In social settings,
individual action is not completely determined by these structures; as Barley and
Tolbert (1997) point out, “institutions set bounds on rationality by restricting the
opportunities and alternatives we perceive and, thereby, increase the probability of
certain types of behaviour.” Thus, institutions are altered by conscious or unconscious
changes in an individual’s behavior. However, this does not mean that all individuals
are alike. It just implies that humans tend to take similar action in social settings based
on structures. In this sense, individuals will never express identical thoughts within
their frames of reference although their structured actions may be similar (Boland
1993, 1996; Scapens & Macintosh, 1996).

20
As shown in Figure 2, individuals receive intended and unintended consequences
(through their actions and interactions) that produce and reproduce social structures,
which mediate future actions and interactions through structures of signification,
legitimation, and domination (Giddens 1979; Macintosh, 1994). In daily social
situations in a product innovation process, the institution is reproduced through the
duality of structure, both of which are manifested in habits of thought, action, and
interaction. However, new structures may be formed if the individual receives
unintended consequences or through a conscious choice of altered action and
interaction. This is based on the fundamental assumption of structuration theory: an
individual can make conscious and deliberated choices in actions and interactions.
Nevertheless, these deliberate choices are affected by internal processes due to different
levels of consciousness and an individual’s psychological makeup (Giddens, 1979).

Agency

Social Modes of Action and Reflexive monitoring of

structures mediation interaction action and interaction

Intended and Discursive consciousness

unintended Practical consciousness
consequences
Unconsciousness

Structuration Agents’ psychological

makeup

FIGURE 2 Logic within the process of structuration

Source: Macintosh, (1994)

While Giddens (1979) and Barley and Tolbert (1997) emphasize human action, Burns
and Scapens (2000) also emphasize individual thought in the process of
institutionalization. To refer to their definition, an institution “impos[es] form and
social coherence upon human activity, through the production and reproduction of
settled habits of thought and action” (ibid). These settled habits of thought and action
are institutionalized through routinization of human activity. Thus, institutionalized
individuals share taken-for-granted assumptions within their frames of reference that
shape their actions (ibid). Giddens (1979) includes thought as part of the modalities of
structures. While Giddens discusses different modalities for structural properties, Barley
and Tolbert (1997) use the simplification of scripts defined as observable, recurrent
activities and patterns of interaction. In the terms of Burns and Scapens, individuals
draw on routines and rules as the structural modality between agency and structure.

According to Burns and Scapens (2000), the institutionalization process is a continuous

flow of action and interaction between individuals that draws on rules and routines in
production and reproduction of the realms of thought and action. By this, the duality
between institutions and human agency becomes more implicit than as suggested by
Giddens (1979) and Barley and Tolbert (1997). Another perspective on structural

21
properties, is to view individual action as institutionalized through discourses (Phillips,
Lawrence & Hardy, 2004). A discourse “…’rules in’ certain ways of talking about a
topic, defining an acceptable and intelligible way to talk, write or conduct oneself and
also ‘rules out’ limits and restricts other ways of talking, of constructing ourselves in
relation to the topic or constructing knowledge about it. They go on to define
discourse as “structured collections of meaningful texts…not just to written
transcriptions but to any kind of symbolic expression requiring a physical medium and
permitting of permanent storage.” They argue that these discourses may take various
forms such as written documents, verbal reports, pictures and symbols. Focusing on
this approach, only explicit discourses will be analyzed; thus, Giddens’s (1979)
cognitive structural property of signification mediated by interpretive schemes will be
implicit.

Giddens (1979) analyze individual participation in a social setting through the

structural dimensions of signification, legitimation, and domination (see Figure 3).
These dimensions are inseparable in the ongoing moments of action and interaction.
The structural property of signification is related to the abstract cognitive dimension of
social life through which agents communicate and understand each other.
Signification involves scripts, cognitive schemes, and other abstract structures
organized as a web of semantic codes guiding individual interpretations and discursive
practices. In the ongoing moments of interaction, individuals draw on these
signification structures through their frames of reference, which embody knowledge,
skills, and rules for communication and discourse in order to make sense in social
settings (Giddens, 1979; Macintosh, 1994). An individual’s frame of reference is also
used for interpreting action and interaction. Thus, each individual frame of reference
is used for mediating an individual’s own use of signification structures in social
settings as well as for interpreting signification structures used by other participants.

While signification structures concern individual frames of reference when

communicating in language and texts, structures of legitimation involve moral
constitution while participating in a particular social setting. These legitimation
structures take the form of normative rules and moral obligations, guiding thought and
action in a social setting. Macintosh (1994) states that these norms “constitute the
shared set of values and ideals about what is regarded as virtue, what is to count as
important, and what ought to happen in social settings” as well as what is considered
immoral, trivialized, and should not happen. Individuals participating in the ongoing
moments of action and interaction about a product innovation will draw on these
legitimation structures to follow norms; at the same time, these norms guide and
reproduce the same legitimation structures. Individuals sanction their own behavior by
complying to norms (ibid). However, these norms are not universal in terms of
complete obedience but rather a question of compliance. This implies that individuals
do not necessarily have complete commitment to norms as in diverging thoughts and
complying action. According to Macintosh (1994), this moral undercarriage inculcates
values into the individuals’ frames of reference and thereby ensures a fit within the
group. Against this view, Boland (1996) argues strongly by implying each individual’s

22
distinctive character in terms of dissimilarities. By this, the meaning is that the
collective structures in mind will never be the same as the structures within an
individual. Thus, it may be argued that inculcating values over time results in an
increased similarity in structures but not an exact match (cf. Macintosh, 1994).

A SOCIAL SYSTEM
Dimensions of Structural Modes of
Agency: Outcomes:
structuration: properties: mediation:
Interpretive Communication
1. Semantic Signification Ÿ schemes Ÿ and discourse Ÿ Meaning

2. Power Domination Ÿ Resources Ÿ Power Ÿ Influence

3. Moral Legitimation Ÿ Norms Ÿ Sanctions Ÿ Morality

n p
Structures existing in virtual time/space, and their
modes of mediation, are reproduced, transformed,
or transmuted through agency

FIGURE 3 Structural properties of relationships to modalities

Source: Macintosh, (1994)

In some situations, individuals draw on structures of signification to communicate the

meaning of something in order to make other individuals morally accountable
(structures of legitimation) and to subsequently guide others action in a product
innovation process. However, in some situations, these structures are not enough; the
individual may also draw on the structures of domination, by use of power, to achieve
innovation. For example, an individual acts or interacts by commanding authority
within the social setting (e.g. Giddens, 1979). This power may also be implicit,
making it possible to interpret based on experience (ibid). This influence may work by
constraining individuals from a certain task and thus gain their cooperation in some
other area of interest or by liberating individuals from moral obstacles within the
product innovation process.

An important aspect in the formation of settled habits of thought and action is

routinization. In a routine, individuals obtain recognizable action and interaction
across time and space (Giddens, 1979). In routine situations, human action is
continuously repeated day after day with no need to consciously think about or
negotiate new social codes; in other words, individuals are institutionalized with
commonly agreed upon social codes of conduct reproduced in action and interaction.
According to Zilber (2002), institutionalized individuals “perceive, enact and further
reinforce these habituated behaviours and their shared meanings.” In this sense,
institutionalized individuals have similar frames of reference. Thus, a change in the
institution will change these frames of reference concerning ascribed meaning to the
social setting.

23
To summarize, individuals in a product innovation process both produce and
reproduce institutions in the form of settled habits of thought, action, and interaction.
At the individual level, thoughts and actions are guided by individual frames of
reference, which restrict perceived alternatives thereby increasing the probability of
certain types of thought and actions. In this sense, institutions only exist within frames
of reference based on structural properties that guide individual action and interaction
within a social setting. In actions and interactions throughout time and space,
individuals produce and reproduce institutions as patterns of structures within
individual frames of reference, guiding settled habits of thought, action, and
interaction. In this sense, individuals in a social setting are constantly exchanging
knowledge, experience, etc. by incorporating structures in terms of signification,
legitimation, and domination. Through this constant exchange of action and
interaction, common meanings arise that allow individuals to make sense of actions
and interactions (cf. Ifvarsson, 2003). Thus, similarities within individual frames of
reference will evolve.

3.5 INDIVIDUAL FRAMES OF REFERENCE IN TERMS OF CONTENT AND

STRENGTH
In the sections above, individual frames of reference in relation to institutionalization
have been discussed in order to account for the process in which similarities in frames
of reference occur. However, to further theorize the cognitive dimensions in product
innovation processes, it is important to distinguish between content and strength.
According to Flynn and Chatman (2004), strong culture (interpreted as homogeneity)
may limit individual creativity and direct individuals to more relevant and better ideas.
This depends on the content of the institutional rules, routines, and norms affecting
individual frames of reference before and during the product innovation process. If
these institutional structures in terms of content correspond to innovative action, this
implies positive effects if a high degree of group homogeneity exists. I will draw on
content and strength in relation to individuals’ frames of reference in the following
sections.
3.5.1 The innovation process in terms of content
On a collective level, individual thoughts and actions are guided by institutional
structures, which are constantly produced and reproduced in the ongoing moments of
action and interaction in the innovation process. How this affects the ability to create
product innovations depends on the content of the institutional structures and
individual frames of reference guiding their thoughts and actions. Several factors (see
Table 3) affecting innovativeness have been identified that may be seen as institutional
content in rules, routines, norms, and values. Some studies (e.g. Takeuchi & Nonaka,
1986; Nonaka, 1991; Adler, Goldotas, & Levine, 1999) identify content in terms of
broadly defined institutional structures related to innovativeness, while others (cf.
Madhavan & Grover, 1998) make the connection to concrete action. A common
feature of institutional content is structures promoting change in which participants
expect initiative, creativity, and risk-taking (Jassawalla & Sashittal, 2002). Other

24
research focuses on the relationship between individuals as in tolerance for
perspectives of others (Madhavan & Grovers, 1998).

The Harvard Business Essentials series (2003) presents paradoxical characteristics of

innovative groups. The first concern innovating teams need of both experience and a
beginner’s mind to balance perspectives. The second concerns the need to balance
discipline with freedom in order to align company strategy and how it will be
achieved. The third concerns the need to balance professionalism with playfulness to
provide situations (time and space) possible for innovative playfulness and the final
fourth paradoxical characteristic is the need to balance planning with improvisation by
flexibility in plans. This resembles the view of Brown & Eisenhardt (1998) of
balancing on the edge between structure and chaos.

TABLE 3 Institutional content and action related to innovativeness

Study Institutional content In action Related to
Takeuchi & x Built-in instability Ÿ Success
Nonaka (1986) x Self-organizing project teams
x Overlapping development
phases
x Multi-learning
x Subtle control
x Organizational transfer of
learning
Nonaka (1991) x Broadly defined vision Ÿ Success
Madhavan & x Tolerance for perspectives of Ÿ Appoint new teams with Success
Grover (1998) others successful past team members
x Maintenance of innovative Ÿ Mentor past successful teams
structures Ÿ Do not change the entire team
simultaneously
Brown & x Rule-breaking culture Ÿ Lack of discipline Failure
Eisenhardt (1998) x Loose structure Ÿ Unclear responsibilities and
x Random communication vague priorities
x Rule-following culture Ÿ Randomized communication in
x Rigid structure amount and content
x Channeled communication Ÿ Follow the rules
Ÿ Detailed description of processes,
procedures, and plans
Adler, Goldotas, x Meta-routines Ÿ Success
& Levine (1999)
Jassawalla & x Initiative, creativity, and risk- Ÿ Involvement Success
Sashittal (2002) taking are expected Ÿ High level of creative
x Trust in all participants’ equal collaborative action
capability Ÿ Willingness for feedback
x All participants are involved
early
x Change is embraced
The Harvard Balancing: Ÿ Bring outsiders in the group Success/Failure
Business x Beginner’s mind vs. Experience Ÿ Demand alignment and give
Essentials series x Freedom vs. Discipline latitude
(2003) x Playfulness vs. Professionalism Ÿ Professional conduct with time
x Improvisation vs. Planning and space for play
Ÿ Plan carefully but remain flexible
Van der Panne, x Explicit recognition of the Ÿ Learn by doing Success
Van Beers, & collective nature of innovation

25
 Kleinknecht x Prior experience
(2003) x Use of multidisciplinary skills
x Clearly articulated innovation
strategy
x Compatibility to core
competences
x Timing
Ernst (2002) x Systematic scheme for Ÿ Active idea search Success
suggesting new products Ÿ Allow free time for creative
x Innovation-friendly climate informal projects
x Risk-taking behavior Ÿ Provide resources to informal
x Commitment projects
x Product champion Ÿ Encourage diverse experiences
Eisenhardt & x Multifunctional teams Ÿ Use experiential and Fast
Tabrizy (1995) x Iterations improvisational tactics development
x Testing Ÿ Allows for multiple iterations
x Milestones Ÿ Features a hands-on approach
x Powerful leaders

A fundamental issue in respect to institutional content is its relation to individual

frames of reference and therefore thought, action, and interaction. One way to
illustrate this relation between level of content in individuals’ frames of reference and
individual’s actions is by a funnel analogy (Figure 4). The (a) axis of the funnel
describes different semantic levels of content in institutional structures. The word
“semantic” refers to the meaning or signification in both explicit and implicit content
of institutional structures. The level of content also refers to a broader content in terms
of its degree of preciseness (b). In the upper end of the funnel (a), broadly defined
content (b) in terms of visions is compressed into precise instructions at a low level of
content. Takeuchi and Nonaka (1986) cite instructions of the Honda City project
team as “the kind of car that the youth segment would like to drive.” It is not, in this
case, expressed whether the institutional structure are in the form of a rule, routine or
norm but it is an explicit expression of a high level of content. A low level of content

Degree of preciseness

c
b

Level a Freedom of action

FIGURE 4 Visualizing the content effect on action

26
implies detailed instructions and specifications of the task, namely a specification of
features that the car would have. In this way, the institutional structure sets wide
boundaries, which gives the participating individuals great freedom of action (c). By
setting the institutional norm at a high level of content it widens the group freedom of
action, allowing them to create innovative solutions. As such, the institutional content
sets broadly defined boundaries of acceptable and unacceptable ways of thought and
action, which may improve the innovation climate. In the case of Thomas Edison, he
gave the following description about the innovation: “I am experimenting upon an
instrument which does for the Eye what the phonograph does for the Ear” (as cited in
Carlson & Gorman, 1990). By giving these instructions, Edison acted on a high level
of content with a broad degree of preciseness, which gave his assistant great freedom
of action in fulfilling this vision of the kinetoscope. The examples correspond to a
vision made by managers, but the principle is the same for any other content included
in the ongoing moments of action and interaction produced or reproduced in the
institution. A rule, routine, or norm with a content of tolerance for other perspectives
(Madhavan & Grover, 1998) is at a high level with a broad degree of preciseness,
which gives participating individuals great freedom of action within the framework of
the content. As Jassawalla & Sashittal (2002) state, companies with a highly efficient
and effective innovation process have beliefs and values that favor collaboration,
creativity, and risk-taking deeply embedded and readily apparent in individual actions,
which is related to freedom of action.

To summarize, the fundamentals of content are related to producing and reproducing

structures, which allows for a high degree of freedom in action and interaction. Table
3 exemplifies what others have found related to successful product innovation
processes and thus content of structures related to innovation; examples of concrete
action related to successful innovation are also included. An institution must be
reflected in the thoughts, actions, and interactions made by participating individuals.
To emphasize the view of content, Cooper, Edgett, and Kleinschmidt (2004)
conclude that some elements of the innovation climate are the strongest discriminators
between best and worst performers of innovation. Thus, the content of the climate
(the structures of thought, action, and interaction) have a profound effect on the
product innovation process.
3.5.2 The innovation process in terms of strength
The discussion above has shown how different content in institutional structures can
promote or restrain an innovation climate. As some rules, routines, or norms may
promote a group of individuals while other institutional structures may restrain the
group’s innovativeness. Flynn and Chatman (2004) implicitly discusse strength as a
strong, cohesive culture. Two fundamental questions in respect to strength are what
and how? What is related to content, discussed in previous section, while how is
related to the degree of correspondence in individuals’ frames of reference and thus
homogeneity or heterogeneity within individuals frames of reference. However,
strength is always related to content, since homogeneity or heterogeneity in its essence
is similarity or dissimilarity to content.

27
Individuals draw on their frame of reference in order to perceive, interpret, and give
meaning to a social environment (Walsh, 1995). Thus, group homogeneity arises from
shared experience. Homogeneity is often presumed to hamper a group’s
innovativeness; however, let us assume a large homogeneity in which individuals have
a high degree of similarity in their frames of reference regarding an institutional
structure. In addition, let us assume that the institutional structure in this case is a
norm with the content “tolerate dissimilarity” (cf. Madhavan & Grover, 1998). This
creates an interesting paradox: high homogeneity, in theory, hampers an individual’s
ability to innovate, but at the same time, this homogeneity involves content perceived
to promote innovation. Consequently, homogeneity and heterogeneity effects on a
group’s ability to innovate must be seen on different levels. The level restraining
innovation is related to homogeneity in individuals’ knowledge base, or shared
experience in the field of expertise; this resembles the work of Eisenhardt and Tabrizys
(1995), who found that the institutional content of multifunctional teams are related to
success. Thus, a logical explanation in relation to strength is the need of heterogeneity
in terms of knowledgebase. The other level corresponds to institutional structures
guiding ongoing moments of action and interaction through the structuration process.
These two levels are however interrelated since they both are drawn upon when
enacting with the social environment constituting the innovation process. Hargadon
and Fanelli (2002) argue similar, that participating individuals come to hold (relatively)
aligned interpretations, goals, and identities, because they tend to be surrounded by
their own actions.

However, both levels have different effects on the product innovation process.
Expertise is one component of creativity, which implies that homogeneity within an
individual’s knowledge base might inhibit a group’s creative potential (Amabile,
1998). In contrast, heterogeneity in a knowledge base is a prerequisite but not
sufficient condition for innovative ideas to arise. This leads to homogeneity in the
second level of institutional structures, guiding the ongoing moments of interaction as
dependent on the content. If the content is positively related to innovation with a
high degree of homogeneity, this implies that all participating individuals are guided
by positive content, which therefore increases group innovativeness. Homogeneity in
tolerance for other perspectives (Madhavan & Grover, 1998), favors internal and
external communication (Brown & Eisenhardt, 1995), initiative, creativity, and
risk-taking (Jassawalla & Sashittal, 2002), contributing to a social setting in which
individuals may obtain a heterogenic knowledge base.

Hargadon and Fanelli (2002) discuss how repetitive interaction generates alignment
between what people believe is possible and the confirmation of these beliefs in the
actions of others. As such, organizations may avoid this homogeneity by variations in
experience and thus in knowledge base. Heterogeneity within an individual’s frame of
reference in terms of knowledge base relates to the creative potential of the group,
while homogeneity within an individual’s frame of reference in terms of institutional
structures harnesses this creative potential through action and interaction. Therefore,

28
individuals participating in an innovation process will have both homogeneity and
heterogeneity depending on the content in focus. Nevertheless, common experience
through action and interaction will contribute to the formation of homogeneity
independent of content. In relation to the structuration process, common experience
through action and interaction will generate homogeneity through similarities in the
structures governing the social situation and in knowledge base. This homogeneity
may either promote or inhibit innovation depending on the level of content in these
structures.

3.6 THE DYNAMIC UNFOLDING OF PRODUCT INNOVATION PROCESSES

Extensive research using statistical methods has identified activities related to the
success and failure of the innovation process. In addition, a number of reviews of
studies have been performed in the field (e.g. Brown & Eisenhardt, 1995; Ernst, 2002;
van der Panne, van Beers, & Kleinknecht, 2003). Brown and Eisenhardt (1995)
developed a model of factors related to process success as opposed to financial
performance. This implies that a successful process will not necessarily result in
financial performance. According to them, one factor affecting performance is
experience related to action, characterized by extensive testing and frequent iterations
of product designs combined with frequent milestones (i.e. short time span). Other
authors (Zirger & Maidique, 1990; Cooper & Kleinschmidt, 1987, 1988) have
addressed this by suggesting concrete activities related to success on different levels of
abstraction. A fundamental assumption in these activity models is a view of the
innovation process as a linear rational plan (Engwall, 2003; Brown & Eisenhardt,
1995) in which an idea is sequentially are developed in stages into a commercial
product. Trott (2005) presents eight sequences, while others like Fairlie-Clarke and
Muller (2003) present a detailed model of eighteen activities, all further developed
into concrete actions.

Cunha and Gomes (2003) discuss how order in structural models is achieved by
rationalizing work processes, introducing the concept of operating routines. These
routines may be described as patterns in action and interaction which simplify the
work to be done in the innovation process. Engwall (2003) states that the innovation
process does not evolve in this sequential system of order but rather is unstructured,
iterative, and thus not fully predictable in action and interaction through
standardization. Planning and standardizing the innovation process requires experience
of a situation identified as similar and thus, the individual tries to reproduce the
structures by drawing on the experience and structures governing the innovation
process as performed in the past.

However, Cunha and Gomes (2003) describe an improvisational model of innovation

with temporal convergence in meetings with planning and execution. In this case, the
process is based on minimal technical and social structures guiding the team by clear
roles, no-exception milestones, and action by experimentation. The team is allowed
to work autonomously within the limits prescribed by a simple and well-defined set of

29
rules. This resembles what Brown & Eisenhardt (1995) refer to as experiential tactics
with frequent iterations, extensive testing, and a short time between milestones
suitable for uncertain situations, which often surround a product innovation process.
Eisenhardt & Tabrizi (1995) articulates this act of balance as “fast product development
emerges as more uncertain than predictable, more experiential than planed, and more
iterative than linear.”

One important reflection is that it is not a question of whether to perform the

identified factors related to success in a linear manner but rather how to use them
within the product innovation process. After pointing this out, I will address a linear
perspective in order to describe how individuals frames of reference, thought, action
and interaction evolves within a product innovation process. In Table 4, a simplified
model of an innovation process is presented as containing three distinguished phases.
Based on a categorization of activity models in literature the early phase may be
characterized as an idea phase, the mid phase as a working phase and the late phase as a
market phase. During these phases, individual frames of references should change but
in different ways depending on the content under investigation. Next, I will discuss
how the product innovation process evolves in terms of social and cognitive aspects.

TABLE 4 A simplified model of the innovation process

Early phase Mid phase Late phase

Feldman & Page x Exploration x Development x Market testing

(1984) x Screening
x Concept testing
x Business analysis
Cooper & x Initial screening x Product development x Trial sell
Kleinschmidt x Preliminary market x In-house product tests x Trial production
(1988) assessment x Customer tests of product x Pre-commercialization
x Preliminary technical business analysis
assessment x Production start-up
x Detailed market study x Market launch
x Predevelopment business
/ financial analysis
Song & x Strategic planning x Technical development x Product
Montoya-Weiss x Idea development and x Product testing commercialization
(1998) screening
x Business & market
opportunity analysis
Van de Ven et x Extended gestation x Development x Linking and integrating
al. (1999) period x Rework due to setbacks x Ending when success or
x Initiating innovation and mistakes failure
x Planning x Change in criteria of
success and failure.
x Fluid participation
x Investor and top manager
intervention
x Relationship development
x Create industry or
community infrastructure

30
Cooper, Edgett, x Ideas
& Kleinschmidt x Initial screen
(2002) x Preliminary analysis
x Second screen
x Business case
x Decision on business case
Fairlie-Clarke & x Identify product
Muller (2003) opportunity
x Generate product
proposals
x Evaluate and approve
product proposals
x Identify requirements
and generate PDS
x Develop product
business plans
x Generate project
proposals
x Evaluate and approve
project proposals
x Development xPilot
x Post-development review xDecision to launch
xLaunch and
implementation
xPost-launch review
x Fund and schedule x Develop new supply
projects resources
x Monitor projects x Evaluate and approve
x Design product supply development
x Specify supply processes x Technical validation
x Commercial validation
x Develop product
support
x Release products into
product range
x Execute product launch

3.6.1 A model of unfolding social and cognitive dimensions in product innovation processes
Figure 5 presents a model containing the central concepts presented in this thesis and
serves as a tool to understand and capture the social processes involved in product
innovation. The model is three dimensional and should be interpreted as two circles
(one in relation to the self and one in relation to significant others) both passing
through the individual’s frame of reference (A) and intertwined in individual action
and interaction. This implies that the same action and interaction made by an
individual both produce and reproduce structures (E) in relation to significant others as
well as produce and reproduce the identity of an individual in relation to self. On one
side of the frame of reference (A) is action and interaction (B); to reach the other
concepts (C, D, E) within each circle, the information setting must be filtered through
the individual’s frame of reference (A). The frame of reference (A) thus assimilates and
accumulates information about thoughts, actions, and interactions. When individuals
engage in a product innovation process, they draw on experiencees of thoughts,
actions, and interactions, in their frame of reference.This assimilated and accumulated
experience is the foundation for their action and interaction (B) in relation to the self
and to significant others in the product innovation process. When individuals engage
in this social setting, their frame of reference (A) also works as a filter to guide for
expected consequences (C) based on the action, and interaction made in the product
innovation process. It may also guide by filtering consequences to be noticed or
considered due to selective perception. In relation to the self, the individual’s frame of
reference (A) will filter and guide thoughts (D) to be made and possible to make,
which will be assimilated and accumulated into the frame of reference before guiding
new action and interaction. This dimensional relation to self includes the freedom of
choice over thought, action, and interaction, even though action and interaction may
have limitations in terms of physical features (Brunsson, 2002; Giddens, 1979). In
relation to significant others, the frame of reference (A) will filter the action and
interaction of others. Due to the response to intended or unintended consequences,

31
this action and interaction will simultaneously influence the social structures of
signification, legitimation, and domination included in (E) (Giddens, 1979).

The second dimension of the model (where the first represents self vs. significant
others) is the relation to the physical aspect of being observable for a participating
individual or if the concept is hidden inside the individual. For an individual
participating in a product innovation process, the action and interaction made by
other individuals is recognized through his or her senses. It is possible to se the
physical movements of a body, hear them speak etc. However, what we hear and see
is filtered through our frame of reference (A); if our assimilated and accumulated
experience indicates a certain way of action and interaction or result thereof, then this
will lead to intended or unintended consequences. Although it could be seen as logical
to place intended and unintended consequences behind the filtering frame of
reference, it is also possible to observe through expressions or through body language.
Nevertheless, these sounds or expressions are nothing but ways of action or interaction
as a response to previous actions and interactions. The initial action or interaction (B)
is filtered through the individual’s frame of reference (A) in order to give rise to
intended or unintended consequences (C) within the individual. These consequences
(C) are then processed through thinking (D) where the frame of reference (A) filters
for appropriate responses in action and interaction (B) as well as social structures (E)
governing the present time and space. Thus, action and interaction in product
innovation processes are produced and reproduced in the duality of thought and social
structures (Giddens 1979).

This implies that a group that is brought together for the first time to create an
innovation will bring the content of the institutional structures from their usual
organizational entity to the new setting. This content is situated within the frame of
reference of each individual and is specific to previously encountered situations. When
a group enters the early phase, they will bring institutional structures based on similar
content in terms of company ground rules of conduct. An example of such structures
is tolerance for others’ perspectives. Based on the discussion in Section 3.5.1, the
content is related to the institutional structures governing the situation, which implies
that individuals are aware of and thus capable of instantly reproducing these structures.
This is not necessarily the case, since structures probably differ between functional
departments as well as between organizations and countries. If not, the individuals will
have to produce the institutional structures that will guide all action and interaction
within the innovation process. In relation to the self, all actions and interactions are
filtered when reflecting upon them as well as drawn upon when taking action or
interaction. The same action and interaction are guided by the social structures that
govern the situation. In relation to others, this means that the action and interaction
made by an individual produces or reproduces the institutional structures as well as
modifies the individual’s frame of reference. When an individual applies their frame of
reference and their actions or interactions lead to unintended consequences, this results
in a modified frame of reference, which might alter the structures governing future
actions and interactions. If the actions result in intended consequences, this leads to a

32
reproduction of the social structures and the individual’s frame of reference. Thus,
when individuals reproduce structures through action and interaction, they share
experience within the social setting, which adjusts their frames of reference toward
homogeneity.

In relation In relation to
to self significant others

(A) Frame of
reference

(D) Thought (E) Social

structures
(B) Acton &
Interaction

(C) Intended
& Unintended
Consequences

Inside the
individual

Observable

FIGURE 5 A dynamic model of product innovation processes

For example, one activity within the early phase could be developed into an idea. If
performed before, participating individuals may draw from their frame of reference
and guiding structures when starting to act and interact. It may be to wait until it is
their turn to speak (drawing on social structures); the experience stored in their frame
of reference will guide towards certain ways of thinking, acting, and interacting. The
way that the individual presents this will be aligned with the structures perceived to
govern the situation. This dynamic process continues throughout the product
innovation process, implying that individuals have a picture in their frame of reference
about which activities to perform in each phase of the process. They will also know
how to behave in each phase in terms of action and interaction due to the structures in
their frames of reference. In this way, homogeneity in frames of reference will arise
concerning which activities to perform, since the individuals share experience
throughout the innovation process.

33
34
4 TOWARDS A RESEARCH PLAN OF THE SOCIAL AND
COGNITIVE DIMENSIONS IN PRODUCT INNOVATION
PROCESSES

I n this chapter, I will address how the fundamental concepts introduced in the conceptual model
may be studied in terms of a research plan. This includes a discussion of the course of action and
choices surrounding the techniques included in the plan, which will be presented in detail in Chapter 6.

The purpose of this thesis is to provide a conceptual focus and make a significant test
of techniques for an empirical test. This chapter aims at developing a research plan
with the intent of future empirical test of the conceptual model. The concepts used in
the model are frame of reference, thought, action, interaction, intended and
unintended consequences, and social structures. In order to confirm or reject the
conceptual model, all central concepts must be addressed in an empirical study.
However, since the purpose is to develop a research plan for an empirical test, a first
step in making the research plan is to focus on the concepts which techniques are in
need of a significant test in the context of the product innovation process. In
particular, I will examine frame of reference, thought, action, interaction, structure,
homogeneity, and heterogeneity. The repertory grid technique, social network
analysis, and alter-ego network analysis all considered useful for capturing the concepts
introduced in the conceptual model. How each technique is related to the
fundamental concepts will be discussed in the following sections.

4.1 FOUNDATIONS IN THE REPERTORY GRID TECHNIQUE

The repertory grid technique is based on Kelly’s (1955/1991) fundamental postulate,
which states that:

“a person’s processes are psychologically channelized by the ways in which he anticipates events.”

This fundamental postulate, elucidated by Kelly’s corollaries (Appendix 1), constitutes

the essence of his theory of personal constructs. Some of the corollaries are more central to
the subject of this thesis (individual, organization, range, and experience) and
consequently will be further discussed. The repertory grid technique can illustrate how
different individuals construct their reality. In following the fundamentals, reality
comes about (The organization corollary) when individuals try to make sense out of
experiences from encountered situations (e.g. Fransella & Bannister, 1977) and use this
to anticipate future events (Kelly, 1955/1991). The repertory grid technique explores
the system of constructs being shaped or reshaped due to individual experience and
social encounters. According to Kelly, the individual constructs his/her reality in terms
of real bipolar constructs, which are only real in their actual employment by the user
and not by themselves in the things that they are supposed to explain. In this way, the
constructs only represent the way that an individual frames the experience and may
differ among individuals due to their previous experiences, leading to different
constructs guiding their anticipation of events.

35
In the foundations, set forth by Kelly (1955/1991), a construct represents the way in
which events are constructed as alike and yet different from other events. Thus, the
constructs are always dependent on the specific context or phenomenon under
examination (cf. Borell, 1994) and as relevant to something seen as different as it is to
something seen alike. To exemplify, assume that an individual constructs his or her
reality in terms of easy vs. difficult to handle. The individual may construct several
contexts according to this construct, which may be applied to eating breakfast, getting
the kids dressed, driving to work, or activities to be made within a product innovation
process. The construct may also be misapplied, as when constructing an activity within
the product innovation process as easy to handle while others may see it as difficult to
handle. A construct may also be inappropriate; for example, constructing another
individual in the innovation process as easy to handle may not be a very enlightened
way of viewing other participants. However, the construct may not be relevant at all
for other contexts, such as time of day or an activity out of the individual’s control
within the product innovation process. Kelly discusses this as constructs used by the
individual that have a limited range of convenience (the range corollary). That is to say,
outside of the range of convenience, the individual does not find the construct
relevant to the object; the construct within the range of convenience has a meaningful
and relevant similarity and difference, which forms the essence of the construct.
Hence, the context is constituted by the elements lying within the range of
convenience; to distinguish a context, a minimum of three elements are required. The
minimum context is constituted by a construct, which determines how two things are
alike and different from a third on the same dimension (ibid). For example, would the
elements user involvement, generate ideas, and planning create a context for the
construct easy vs. difficult to handle, if the individual considers it as a meaningful
construct for the elements. By other techniques two and even one element is used as
context but as such, they must be related to an element not included in order to
establish a context to construct about.

Fundamental to this thesis, is Kelly’s (1955/1991) view of predicting constructs as

channelized by the ways in which the individual anticipates events. Kelly explains:
“we look at the undifferentiated stream of circumstance flowing past us, and we try to
find something about it that repeats itself. Once we have abstracted that property, we
have a basis for slicing of chunks of time and reality and holding them up for
inspection one at a time. On the other hand, if we fail to find such a property, we are
left swimming in a shoreless stream, where there are no beginnings and no endings to
anything. Thus the first step in prediction is to get hold of a solid fistful of something
to predict.” Thus, the process of identifying the event (in this case, activities in a
product innovation process) as something replicated implies that its replicated
properties may reappear in another event; therefore, prediction is always implied when
constructing (the experience corollary). This explains how an individual’s frame of
reference filters and guides thought and action: when an individual abstracts replicated
properties in the events already experienced, it becomes possible for the individual to
chart probable future events in terms of these same properties.

36
4.1.1 Performing a repertory grid
When conducting a repertory grid, the inquiry resembles the procedure of a
structured interview, but with conversations that provide understanding of the other
individual’s view of reality. The repertory grid technique formalizes this process by
assigning numbers to the relation between contextual elements and their constructs
(Fransella & Bannister, 1977). There are three steps to conducting a repertory grid:
generating elements, eliciting constructs, and relating generated constructs to elements
by assigning numbers that represents their location in the individual’s duality of
constructs (Figure 6).

1. 2. 3.
Generate
elements
Ÿ Elicit
constructs
Ÿ Relate constructs
to elements

FIGURE 6 A general process of using the repertory grid technique

Elements are related to the context under examination and may be in the form of
objects, persons, roles, events, institutions, ideas, or professions etc. (e.g. Fransella &
Bannister, 1977). When conducting the first step of (1) generating elements, various
methods with more or less involvement from respondents or researchers may be used.
According to Borell (1994), one way to generate elements is to have the respondent
reflect on aspects of something (e.g. activities in the product innovation process).
Another way is if the respondent and researcher jointly generate relevant elements of
interest for innovation projects. A third way would be if the researcher solely identifies
elements based on theory or personal experience (cf. the course of action made by
Öhman, 2004; Johansson, 2004; Häckner et al., 1996). Conducting a study of the
conceptual model proposed in the previous section implies a combination of these
methods. To capture homogeneity and heterogeneity, all participants must at least
relate to either identical elements or constructs, which implies a thorough process of
selecting fixed elements or constructs to assure that they are within the range of
convenience and appropriate for the context of a product innovation process.

The second step is to (2) elicit constructs, which the respondents use to make sense
out of identified elements. Fransella and Bannister (1977) describe several ways for the
researcher to elicit constructs from the respondent (see also Kelly, 1955/1991). One
commonly used method for eliciting constructs is to use triads of randomly selected
elements within the group of elements generated in the first step. Three of the
researcher and/or respondent generated elements are randomly selected, and then the
respondent is asked in which way “two of them are alike and thereby different from
the third” (Kelly, 1955/1991). This method will henceforth be referred to as the triad
technique. These constructs may be in the form of adjectives or whole sentences that
constitute the pole and contrast of the construct giving meaning to the elements
(Borell, 1994). An alternative method is to use a sequential form in which three
elements is selected and then changed sequentially. If there are too many elicited
constructs, then they may be reduced or modified through in-depth analysis of the
construct by finding a common link (Fransella & Bannister, 1977). There are also

37
other ways to generate constructs, such as drawing on similarities and dissimilarities
between elements. One example is to let the respondent describe the similarities and
differences between two elements. Another example is to construct one element by
describing characteristics of a particular element. Nevertheless, I will use the triad
technique to generate constructs, since this is the technique originally suggested by
Kelly (1955/1991).

The third step is to (3) relate the constructs to the elements, which indicate an
individual’s sense of the elements constructed. By rating these constructs on a Likert
scale, the respondents grade how they perceive whether the elements are related to
either the pole or the contrast. On a nine-point Likert scale, a score of one represents
an individual’s understanding of an element as closely associated with the contrast of
the construct, while a score of nine represents an individual’s understanding of an
element as closely associated with the pole of the construct. By relating all constructs
to an element will hence illustrate the underlying structure in an individual’s frame of
reference characterizing the meaning ascribed to the element by the respondent (cf.
Fransella & Bannister, 1977; Reger, 1990; Borell, 1994).

Table 5 illustrates a complete matrix of a repertory grid. This involves the elements
that the individual finds to be important for explaining the product innovation
process. To depict the inner meaning of the respondent’s understanding of the
elements, constructs are generated; the first row presents the construct extremes as easy
(pole) and difficult (contrast). Each score represents the respondent’s underlying
estimation of how an element may be described in relation to the constructs. This
implies that the respondent sees the element of user involvement as relatively easy to
perform and unimportant; thus, hardly astonishing, this is not something to which the
respondent devotes time. On the contrary, the activity (element) of generating ideas is
regarded as difficult and important but not something that is given much attention,
since the respondent does not devote time to it. On the other hand, the activity
(element) of planning is fairly easy and equally unimportant/important but something
to which time is devoted.

TABLE 5 A simplified example of a repertory grid matrix

Element User Generate Planning
Construct involvement ideas
Easy – Difficult 2 9 4
Do not devote time to –
Devote time to 2 2 8

Unimportant - Important 1 8 5

This hypothetical example shows how one individual constitutes the reality of
activities surrounding the context of a product innovation process. In this way, the
grid constitutes a representation of an individual’s frame of reference about an
innovation process. On the individual level, each individual will have divergent and
unique representations of elements and constructs about an innovation process. On

38
the other hand, a group of individuals with shared experience may show a number of
individuals with a frame of reference characterized by a common understanding of the
innovation process.

4.2 FOUNDATIONS OF SOCIAL NETWORK ANALYSIS

Social network analysis is a method used for investigating the social interaction among
participating members of a group regarding some aspect of interest for the researcher
(e.g. Krackhardt & Hanson, 1993; Cross & Prusak, 2002; Cross, Borgatti, & Parker
2001; Tsai 2002). In this way, social network analysis reveals patterns of relations
which produce organizational structures over time; thus, it shows both formal and
informal patterns of relations within the company. In this study, social network
analysis is used for its ability to reveal patterns of interaction among participating
individuals in a product innovation process. The interest in this thesis is not to
illustrate formal and informal structures but to illuminate if and how participating
individuals interact during activities (elements) identified in the repertory grid. If the
elements are discussed within the group, then it may be seen that these elements are
conscious in the individuals’ frames of reference. Consequently, factors may evolve
into underlying assumptions over time and thus become possible aspects of
institutionalized thought.

The social network analysis presented for an individual resembles the matrix
performed in the repertory grid. In the upper row, action-oriented activities (the
elements used in the repertory grid) are presented; the first column presents names of
individuals to be contacted regarding an activity. The names may be identified in
advance or left empty to fill in later. If the group is clearly defined, then it seems
suitable to have predefined individuals; in the context of a product innovation process,
however, it is likely that individuals interact with a large number of people both
within and outside of the company. Hence, the respondents will be given the task of
identifying individuals that he or she has contacted. The last step is to grade the degree
of interaction made during a set time by providing the exact amount of contacts
during that period or by grading them on a scale, preferably a Likert scale similar to
the one used in the repertory grid. A potential drawback of using an exact amount of
contacts is the reliance on memory. With a small number of contacts, it will possibly
be easier to recall, but with a large amount, an individual may provide only a rough
approximation while the use of an exponential scale will provide a more precise
approximation. The use of the chosen scale will be further discussed in Section 5.3.

The results of social network analysis may be displayed both graphically and
numerically. The graphical display clearly shows the relationship between participating
individuals and their positions both formally and informally in the innovation
network. The numerical display shows data about the relations within the innovation
group, including the density and centrality of relations; minimum, maximum, and
standard deviation; and correlation tables to illustrate group patterns of
communication.

39
Identifying how different individuals in a product innovation process communicate
about the activities to be performed (elements) provides an understanding of how
individuals share their experience about activities. It is important to clarify that such
analysis does not address the content of each contact but rather assigns it to a content
related to some activity; it does not reflect the value of the contacts taken.
Nevertheless, it may show structures of communication and thus patterns of
institutionalization. The matrix below gives an illustration of how an individual recalls
interactions regarding activities (elements) within the product innovation process.

TABLE 6 A simplified example of a social network analysis matrix

Respondent: Sven
Element User Generate Planning
Name involvement ideas
Anders 1 3 6
Mats 1 4 6
Monika 1 2 5

According to Table 6, Sven interacted moderately with Anders about generating ideas
and several times last month about planning in the innovation team. The respondent
has not discussed user involvement and thus probably has not been actively thinking
about or consciously chose not to communicate with those individuals. Thus, the
element of user involvement may in combination with the repertory grid technique
give an alternate picture of the same underlying phenomenon. If the repertory grid
indicates that an element is important in an individual’s frame of reference and,
according to the respondent, highly discussed in the social network analysis, then both
techniques indicate that this is an aspect of the individuals’ frame of reference that is
both conscious and important in the context of this radical innovation process.
Moreover, the activity (element) of planning is highly discussed and thus possible to
display institutionalized thought (homogeneity) among participating individuals in the
product innovation process.

4.3 FUNDAMENTALS OF ALTER-EGO NETWORK ANALYSIS

Alter-ego network analysis is in its fundamental features a modified version of social
network analysis. As previously mentioned, social network analysis reproduces patterns
of relations among individuals participating in the product innovation process. In
social network analysis, the respondent may be included in the list of contacts
representing the individual who is seeking answers within the self, or alter-ego. In this
study, this is separated in two parts: social network analysis represents contacts with
other participating individuals in order to depict the flow of interaction, while alter-
ego network analysis represents the individual’s conscious thoughts about an element.
This may be achieved by asking individuals to state the degree to which they have
consciously thought about the elements. By grading on a Likertscale, the individual
may describe whether or not he or she has consciously thought about an element in
the past month. Similarly, the scale may represent an exact number of thoughts or the
40
degree of reflection made about an activity (element). One factor guiding this choice
is the use of a similar way of measuring an individual’s thoughts about an activity as
the number of contacts taken. The choice of scale will be further discussed in Sections
5.3 and 5.4.

Table 7 illustrates one member’s comprehension about the conscious thought made
regarding different elements during the last month. Sven has consciously thought
about user involvement a few times during the past month and has thought about
planning several times during the past month. Since all elements have been devoted to
conscious thought, they are also part of the structures that constitute the individual’s
frame of reference about activities in the context of product innovation.

TABLE 7 A simplified example of an alter-ego network analysis matrix

Respondent: Sven
Element User Generate Planning
Name involvement ideas
Sven 2 4 6

4.3.1 Linking techniques to the product innovation process

Three different techniques are used to capture different aspects of the product
innovation process. In order to analyze the gathered material, it is important to
illustrate the relationship among these techniques to understand different aspects of
individuals participating in a product innovation process. All of these techniques focus
on activities to be performed and thus are characterized by action within the context
of the product innovation process. The repertory grid technique addresses individual
frames of reference as well as whether individuals may be described as having
homogeneity or heterogeneity regarding how they frame the activities representing
action within the product innovation process. Action is represented in the elements
that the individual is asked to construct. Using social network analysis, individual
interaction about activities within the product innovation process may be depicted.
Similarly, individual thoughts about activities within the process may be illustrated
using alter-ego network analysis. In both social and alter-ego network analysis, actions
are depicted by the activities that the individual is discussing and about which they are
thinking. Social network analysis describes interaction about activities characterizing
action, the act of interaction may be seen as action in itself. Using all of these
techniques, different aspects (frame of reference, interaction, thought, and action) of
institutionalization in product innovation processes may be analyzed.

41
42
5 TESTING A SIGNIFICANT PART OF THE RESEARCH PLAN

T his chapter accounts for the practical dimensions of the techniques used to gather knowledge about
the cognitive and social dimensions of the product innovation process. This includes a discussion
about the course of action and choices made within the scope of this thesis.

One of the purposes of this thesis is to conduct a significant test of the techniques
intended to be used when executing the research plan. The methods to be used are
the repertory grid technique, social network analysis and alter-ego network analysis.
These techniques to capture individual interaction (social network analysis) and
thoughts (alter-ego network analysis) regarding activities made within the product
innovation process, are well-documented methods for the intended areas. In the same
way that the repertory grid has been used in several areas such as education (Häckner
et al., 1996), financial analysts (Johansson, 2004), and strategic management control
(Ifvarsson, 2003). However, to my knowledge, it has never been used in the context
of the product innovation process. It seems reasonable that the repertory grid
technique is suitable for capturing individual frames of reference about activities in the
process. By performing a significant test on one individual, it may be determined
whether the techniques capture the intended aspects.

5.1 SELECTION OF A PRODUCT INNOVATION PROCESS

Performing a significant test refines the use of the technique and validates the elements
chosen. This is important, since the use of same element (or constructs) makes it
possible to analyze homogeneity and heterogeneity through the multigrid program10.
As such, this is an extremely central aspect, since all techniques to be used are based on the use
of the same action-oriented elements; thus, these elements must represent the product innovation
process. In addition, it is an absolute necessity to have valid elements describing the context,
resulting in constructs within the range of convenience (cf. the range corollary in Appendix 1) for
all participants in the process, since it gives the ability to analyze homogeneity and heterogeneity
among individuals. When selecting elements in advance, individuals are forced to
construct elements that may not be relevant, which indicates a need for extensive
testing. Therefore, thorough selection and testing are necessary in order to validate the
elements to be used before executing a full-scale research plan. In respect to the need
of selection and testing of elements a V-diagram is presented about how to find
relevant elements for common use in all three techniques (Figure 7). The V-diagram
represents a link between the theories, principles, and concepts used to conceptualize
with the methodological side of making records transformed into knowledge claims,
central to answering the focus question (finding relevant elements for common use).
This diagram visualizes the link of the conceptual sections with the need to find and
validate common elements for future empirical testing.

10
Multigrid is a program where several individuals’ mental representations may be compared into achieve an average
representation of the group, indicating homogeneity or heterogeneity.

43
 CONCEPTUAL METHODOLOGICAL
FOCUS QUESTIONS:
1. Which common
Theory: Knowledge claims:
elements are useful and
x Theory of innovation x Using common activities as
valid for the context of
x Old institutional theory elements may display the
a product innovation
x Structuration theory cognitive and social dimensions
process when using
x Theory of personal constructs of a product innovation process.
intended techniques and
valid for use among x Chosen elements are useful for
Principles: describing similarities and
participating
x A product innovation is something individuals? differences within a product
perceived as new. innovation process.
x In innovation processes, individuals x Chosen elements are valid for
construct their reality as bipolar use among participants and
constructs characterizing events of within a product innovation
action and interaction. process.
x Innovation processes are a social
context guided by structures being
produced/reproduced through the
interplay of intended/unintended Transformations:
consequences of action and x Analyze elements’ usefulness based
interaction, social structures, and on relations in Principal Component
modes of mediation. Analysis.
x Innovation processes are institutions x Analyze elements’ usefulness based
guiding thought and action of on interaction with others in a social
participating individuals. network analysis.
x In innovation processes, individual x Analyze elements’ usefulness based
thoughts, actions, and interactions are on thoughts regarding elements.
guided by their frames of reference. x Analyze elements’ usefulness based
x Structures in innovation processes are on inclusion or exclusion throughout
constantly thriving toward the interview.
homogeneity.
x Innovation processes contain both
homogeneity and heterogeneity in
individual frames of references.
x Individual identity affects the way that Records:
an individual thinks he/she should act x Matrix of elements as related to constructs
or interact. x Matrix of interaction about elements
x Matrix of thought about elements
x Taped recording of interview
Concepts:
x Product innovation process
x Frame of reference
x Thought
x Action
x Interaction
x Structures
x Homogeneity
x Heterogeneity
x Identity

Object
An individual participating in a product
innovation process

FIGURE 7 A V-diagram on the use of common elements

Source: Novak and Gowin, (1984)

44
First, the individual selected for the test must be part of a product innovation process.
This criterion makes it possible to obtain perspectives from a context relevant for full-
scale studies. In order to find a relevant product innovation process, a selection based
on recommendation from supervisors and individuals with insight in several projects in
progress. This pointed in the direction of a product innovation process (C4-DTN11)
focused on mobile and Internet systems taking place cooperatively between individuals
from the university and the industry. Second, the individual participating in the test
must be well-informed within the innovation process and preferably with experience
from other processes, which could further enhance the validity of the elements used.
Furthermore, the individual must have the opportunity to reserve sufficient time due
to information prior to the test, making the test and confirming the significant test.

In choosing the C4-DTN case, I was recommended to contact the CEO of a division
within Luleå University of Technology, with the aim of finding a product innovation
process. During the discussion of the aims and needs of my research, he suggested the
C4-DTN project as suitable. In order to create an opinion of my own, I turned to the
former leader of the project, since the new leader had recently entered into his
position. I was convinced that this project was performed in such a manner and thus
fulfilled the criterion of a product innovation process (Se Section 6.1 for a detailed
description of the C4-DTN project). This resulted in a discussion with the present
leader of the project, which reserved time to participate in my study. Since he has
experience as a leader of several projects, he was well-informed of the activities made
within a product innovation process and in C4-DTN. He was also favorably disposed
toward studies with a perspective of social science on product innovation processes.

Other criterions in favor of the C4-DTN project were convenience, access, and
geographic proximity (Yin, 2003). Access was considered most important, since the
significant test demanded access to potentially delicate information of planed and
realized activities. The other criteria were more related to restricted time and costs.
Taking all of these criteria into account, the C4-DTN project seemed to be suitable
for the significant test.

5.2 TESTING THE REPERTORY GRID TECHNIQUE

As described in Section 4.1.1, the repertory grid relates constructs to elements. Since
the research plan is pointed toward in-depth studies of product innovation processes,
these elements or constructs must be able to use multigrid in order to compare several
participating individuals. Because of this, fixed elements were chosen that cover the
entire product innovation process; this choice is closely related to the choice of using
activities related to action as elements, since action is a fundamental bearer in both
institutionalization and structuration. Other possible elements might have been
persons, features of the product etc. but aligned with the purpose of this thesis focus is
on the product innovation process and therefore suitable elements where activities that
11
C4 stands for Communication Concept for Challenging Context, and DTN stands for Disruption-Tolerant
Networking. A complete description of the C4-DTN project is found in Section 6.1.

45
 covered the entire process. The purpose of using fixed elements was not to analyze
individual views of the process but rather to evaluate the techniques of the research
plan. As such, the initial step was to find relevant elements (A) to represent activities of
action covering the entire product innovation process (Figure 8).

Intentions: Intentions: Intentions: Intentions: Intentions: Intentions: Intentions:

Eliciting and Testing Further Final fit of Test of selected Analyze Validate
reducing the usefulness of validation of elements to elements and performed results.
number of generated elements the C4-DTN techniques for interview
elements elements and refining context capturing an
relevant for the and their skills in individual’s
product ability to using the frame of
innovation generate technique reference about
process. constructs. the product
Testing the innovation
technique process
(A)
Interview 1 (C)
Tobias Larsson (B) Pre-test 2 (D) (E) (F) (G)
Interview 2 Pre-test 1 Sverker Follow-up
Interview Main test Flexigrid
Håkan Andreas Kaustubh Arne analysis interview
Yllinenpää Larsson Pre-test 3
Johan
Literature
review

Outcome: Outcome: Outcome: Outcome: Outcome: Outcome: Outcome:

A list of 20 Potentially Change in Two changes Elements A four The
elements useful order of and one seems dimensional elements
elements; elements; additional meaningful perspective seem to
revision of list of 21 element; to from represent
Likert scale elements; list of 22 respondent; Flexigrid the context
interview elements. successful of a product
instructions interview innovation
process

FIGURE 8 Activities performed when testing the repertory grid technique

Several playful grids were made for different features as individuals, cars etc. in order
to learn different aspects of finding appropriate elements (A). After these tests, two
interviews to obtain diverse perspectives of the innovation process. Both subjects were
selected based on their experience in innovation processes. The first interview was
conducted with Associate Professor Tobias Larsson, who is involved in the areas of
functional products and knowledge-driven engineering design. The second interview
was conducted with Professor Håkan Yllinenpää, an expert in the area of
entrepreneurship. Both subjects were instructed to draw, sketch, and write about how
a typical innovation process evolves in the early, mid, and late phases. It resulted in
two descriptions with boxes and arrows giving descriptions on different levels of
abstraction. Professor Yllinenpää, with a background in Triple Helix,12 drew on
pieces, which from a meta-level, needed to be part of an innovation process. For
Associate Professor Larsson, more concrete activities to be made in an innovation
process were described. The aim of these interviews were to identify concrete
12
Triple Helix may be defined as an innovation process with individuals representing academia, government, and firms.

46
activities in the process, since institutionalization is made through action, and relate
these views of the innovation process to activities in the literature in order to obtain a
more valid representation of the entire product innovation process.

Turning to literature, the goal was to identify concrete activities through a review of
empirical articles in the area of product development and innovation in search of
activity models identified as significant for innovation processes. Based on this review,
39 elements were identified (cf. activities in Brown & Eisenhardt, 1995; Fairlie-Clarke
& Muller, 2003; Van de Ven et al., 1999; Cooper & Kleinschmidt, 1988). Using these
elements in a repertory grid, however, would lead to several difficulties. For instance,
the respondent would have to construct each of these elements. In addition, some
elements might have overlapping features, which could imply identical elements that
are not meaningful to construct. Another problem may be indistinct differences,
which would make it difficult to construct any “real” difference between the
elements. Consequently, due to the large amount of elements I tried to find a generic
point in common in order to reduce the number of elements used (see Appendix 2) to
those that represent activities related to concrete action, since all individuals
participating in the process would recognize activities related to their work.
Therefore, creative, practical, and business activities were chosen. Based on these
criteria, the number of elements was reduced to 21. These elements were then tested
through repertory grid interviews in order to further refine and receive feedback on
the techniques and elements used, in particular to learn in what type of constructs
these action-related elements would result.

The first test (B) of the repertory grid technique was conducted with PhD Larsson,
whose thesis addresses social processes of distributed design teams. The respondent was
instructed to think about a generic innovation process in which he had participated
and to relate this process to the 21 elements listed. The aim of this instruction was to
determine if the elements are relevant for a product innovation process and for the
respondent. The respondent was asked if he would add or withdraw any elements
relevant to the product innovation process. This led to a discussion of the definition of
some elements, which resulted in notes made by the respondent in order to make
sense of listed elements. However, the respondent could not relate to some element,
since he had never performed these actions (educate employees, elaborate distribution,
and elaborate support). Nevertheless, the respondent viewed them as relevant and thus
did not want to withdraw them from the list. Since the respondent did not want to
reduce or add any elements, it appears that these elements are relevant to the product
innovation process.

To generate constructs, the triad technique was used. This was made a sequential
order firs starting with element one, two and three and then element two, three and
four until all elements where used. After the sequential order, the respondent was
instructed to review the elements in discretionary order for new possible constructs
that could not be described by the ones already generated. The constructs generated
by the triad technique were more complex and related to engineer language vs.

47
customer language; more flexible vs. less flexible; opportunities vs. restrictions; open
vs. closed, etc. This resulted in 10 constructs relevant to the respondent for describing
the similarities and differences between the elements.

After generating constructs, a nine-point Likert scale where used to relate each
element to the generated constructs. This was made by first pointing out the element
closest related to the pole, graded as one on the Likert scale, and then the element
closest related to the contrast, graded as nine on the Likert scale. After this all
remaining elements where graded in relation to the two elements. When grading the
respondent stated that he used first impression or feeling in order to grade and used
the numbers 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9 as basis of grading elements on constructs. If some
element could be considered as neither a seven nor nine the element was placed as an
eight on the Likert scale. When all elements have been used in relation to constructs
on the scale, it was reviewed in order to se if the whole scale was used. If several
elements where given the same number, the respondent was asked if the elements
were equally related to the pole/contrast constructs or if they could be differed in
respect to the construct.

This first test (B) resulted in learning how to use the repertory grid and improve the
forthcoming pre-tests and the main test. In this first test, the need for clear-cut
definitions of elements was identified. In order to make comparisons between
individual views of central activities and to be able to contribute to the process, five
fixed constructs13 where developed (Table 8). These fixed constructs were jointly
generated with a supervisor based on aspects of the product innovation process
possible to use for feedback of critical activities. Based on the feedback received, some
changes were made concerning the scale. While still using a nine-point Likert scale,
five grades were illustrated in order to save time without reducing the respondent’s
ability to extract variance when needed. In addition, interview instructions were
developed and refined. For example by instruction of the possibility of using the entire
scale if perceived as necessary to describe the differences between elements on
constructs. Another problem concerned the elements perceived as important to the
process as a whole, without being well informed or knowledgeable about the
particular element. This was solved by instructing respondents to score five marked in
order to separate it from a score five describing a real relation of an activity (element)
on a pole/contrast construct. Thus, variances generated on the entire scale ended up in
the middle of any component. The alternative would have been to leave out these
elements when performing the analysis. Nevertheless, such an approach would not
have allowed for the possibility to analyze an element in another phase, since some
activities may be useful in different phases of the product innovation process.

13
The five constructs are defined in Appendix 3.

48
 TABLE 8 The five fixed constructs used in the repertory grid
Easy to handle vs. Difficult to handle
Requires a small amount of work effort vs. Requires a large amount of work effort
Least critical for process success vs. Most critical for process success
Least critical for product success vs. Most critical for product success
Application of previous knowledge vs. Requires new ways of thinking

After addressing the changes from the first test (B), two additional pre-tests (C) were
conducted with two students serving as project leaders in their final course in product
development; changes were made according to the results of the initial pre-test. These
additional pre-tests took place within a short time frame, making it difficult for
extensive changes between the interviews. One implication from these tests was the
need to rearrange the order of the elements presented in the repertory grid. In all
three pre-tests, the individuals perceived that the order of elements indicated a
timeline, leading away from similarities and differences between activities (elements).
As a result, the order of elements was changed to alphabetic order in Swedish (the
interviews were conducted in this language). These were later on translated into
English, giving a more random order of listed elements. Since none of the pre-tests
indicated a need for adding or eliminating elements, it was concluded that the
elements were representative of the product innovation process.

Before these elements could be used in the main test, they were examined in the
context of the product innovation process. Therefore, another interview (D) was
conducted (approximately 30 minutes in duration) with the former project leader in
order to determine the activities in the product innovation process. All of the
individuals participating in the pre-tests had a mechanical background in their
representations; however, the product innovation process to be examined was taking
place in the area of electronic and information technology. Thus, the interview
resulted in two changes and one additional element (Choose algorithm, Programming,
and Simulating). The 22 elements14 used in the main test are listed in Table 9. These
activities were selected based on the pre-tests and interviews since they where
regarded as action-oriented and provided a full description of the entire product
innovation process. Linking the elements to Table 4, these activities represent all three
phases of the innovation process, with a fairly equal distribution among each phase. It
was important to find activities that did not overlap yet accurately describe the overall
innovation process.
14
Definitions of elements are found in Appendix 3.

49
 TABLE 9 The activities identified as appropriate elements
User feedback Final tests on users
Get support from management/financier Product release
Generate ideas User studies
Identify perspectives of others Test technology/design
Identify suitable technology Elaborate distribution
Identify opportunities Elaborate support
Plan/adapt for manufacturing Educate employees
Plan project Develop business plan for the innovation
Programming Develop concept
Simulating Choose algorithm
Write product specification Supervise time, cost, and design

5.2.1 Conducting the main test of the repertory grid technique

After all pre-tests, resulting in what was perceived as appropriate elements and
constructs to describe differences in a product innovation process, an interview (E)
was conducted with Arne, leader of the C4 project. The interview, which lasted for
approximately 3 hours, took place in a quiet location that was familiar to the
respondent. The entire interview was taped with the permission of Arne. The
respondent was briefed about the interview process and then instructed to follow the
repertory grid (Appendix 3). The respondent reviewed all elements listed in order to
see if they were considered appropriate and representative for the considered product
innovation process. The respondent received a document that clearly defined each
element in order to reduce differences in interpretations. All listed elements were
considered appropriate and representative, since the respondent did not want to
include or exclude any element. However, Arne could not completely relate all
activities to the C4-DTN project, as the scope of the project was not intended to
result in a commercial product but to develop, test, and refine the techniques to be
used for future products. Some elements were not a complete match to the C4
process, but Arne did not wish to exclude any of the listed elements since he could
not disregard or eliminate these activities within the scope of the product innovation
process.

After reviewing the elements, the focus turned toward generating constructs. The
respondent generated meaningful constructs in order to describe similarities and
differences between elements using the triad technique in a sequential manner. After
all elements had been used to elicit constructs, the opportunity to select a group of
elements was given in order to capture possibilities not yet considered. All elements
were used in at least three combinations during the sequential procedure and
discretionary grouping of elements. For some elements, no relevant similarities or
differences were found, but other elements could be described by similarities or
differences already described by the generated constructs. For each construct
generated, a description was sought to define the construct. In addition, the five
constructs previously described were printed, in advance, in the matrix.

50
The final part of the repertory grid interview was to relate each element to each pole
and contrast by grading it on the nine-point Likert scale. This scale was chosen due to
the large number of elements included; this way, a larger variance could be obtained
representing real differences. Similarly, a larger scale makes it easier for well-informed
respondents to construct similarities and differences; using a smaller scale might have
implied similar representations. Thus, useing a nine-point Likert scale implied that all
elements could be placed on the scale indicating “real” and meaningful differences to
the respondent. The grading was made in the same way as the pre-test, by first relating
the element to the pole and then to the construct, which forced the respondent to use
the entire scale. Each remaining construct was graded in relation to the two extreme
grades. A potential risk with this procedure was that elements were forced toward a
construct even though, if freely placed, they would have been placed elsewhere.

Constructs were generated by asking about similarities and differences, which

indirectly resulted in at least one element being related to an extreme pole or contrast.
This implies that elements could be grouped on one side of the scale, but and the
elements were graded along the entire scale. After all elements were graded, they were
reviewed for similarity. For example, if three elements where graded as a four, then
the individual was asked if they could be separated in a meaningful manner or if all
were equal on the construct dimension. The respondent was also instructed to grade
elements, not perceived as meaningful with a score of zero. Later, it was determined
if the elements were excluded or out of the range of convenience (graded as a five)
and hence resulted in a loading in the middle on generated components. The
respondent used this opportunity in some cases, especially in the elements of elaborate
distribution, elaborate support, and educate employees. Nevertheless, no elements
were graded as zero, which indicates a meaningless element to be excluded.

The conduced interview represents a sincere and trustworthy description of the

similarities and differences among the activities made within the product innovation
process. The respondent took his time in making the grid, which warrants a
representative picture of his frame of reference about the product innovation process.
Another important issue to be addressed is the collection of individuals used in each
step, from finding relevant elements (A) to performing the main test (E). It could be
argued that each individual represents the university, which suggests that the generated
elements would not be appropriate in a firm context. However, the elements
generated in the literature review are based on empirical articles and thus represent a
firm context. The main test was based on the aforementioned interview with Arne,
who was recently recruited from a firm context outside of the university. The project
was also performed outside of university research. Thus, this approach and these
individuals are regarded as representative.

51
5.2.2 PCA of the data when using the Flexigrid program
The matrix generated in the interview was then used as input data in the Flexigrid
program (F). The analysis was made by manually inserting the matrix in the program
and then extracting data drawn from the generated matrix (see Appendix 4). The
number of components to be extracted was based on the generated data of correlations
and principal component analysis (PCA). This in order to find the number of
components which could be seen as relevant for describing Arne's view of the
activities within the product innovation process. The Flexigrid program works as any
program when extracting factors with factor analysis, allowing elements and constructs
to be reduced and related to one another. Three criteria were used when choosing the
number of extracted components. A first look at the eigenvalues indicated five
components. The limit for inclusion of a component is commonly one (Hair et al.,
1998), and in this case all five components had eigenvalues above one. However,
another criterion for inclusion of components is to look for the point at which the
curve first begins to straighten out (ibid). The scree plot generated from Flexigrid
indicated a crack in the curve between the fourth and fifth components. Based on this,
four components were analyzed. By including four components 76 percent of the total
variance could be explained, which is considered satisfactory (ibid). Before conducting
this analysis, the correlation table was scanned for correlations equal to one, which
indicates identically graded constructs that may be replaced by one common construct.
In this case, none of the constructs were considered identical.
5.2.3 Conducting the follow-up interview
A central aspect of validating the results indicated by the elements and constructs
loadings on each component is to conduct a follow-up interview (G) in which the
respondent reflects on the repertory grid. In this case, a one hour follow-up interview
was conducted. The pictures and numerical descriptions generated in the Flexigrid
program were provided, revealing interesting relationships between the elements and
constructs on different dimensions. In addition, these relations and non-relations were
associated with the respondent’s role as a project leader. In order to facilitate
descriptions, the respondent was given an enlarged picture of generated dimensions
and asked to draw, write, and illustrate which grouped elements and constructs that
made sense. As the researcher, I offered one possible interpretation by pointing out the
most obvious relationship. Next, the respondent was asked to indicate non-relations to
generated dimensions where elements and constructs had loadings which placed them
in the middle of each dimension. The respondent was asked if they belonged there
and if so, to indicate why.

At that time, I realized the value of using four components instead of the analysis of
two components. Due to time constraints, I was unable to solve this problem due to
my need for technical assistance in making an analysis with four components.
However, Tschudi (1998) describes how different descriptions may be used, even
though another number of components may be recommended. For example, he
describe how some researchers have used analyses of two components despite what is
indicated by the scree plot and eigenvalues, while others have used as many as six

52
dimensions. Another problem related to technical failure was the intention to tape the
follow-up interview. Approximately, only the first 15 minutes were taped and later
transcribed before the tape recorder malfunctioned. Nevertheless, the follow-up
interview was important to validate the main test results as well as to obtain feedback
about the techniques intended to be used when executing the research plan in full
scale.

Based on the performed significant test, some central aspects may be highlighted for
further consideration when executing the research plan. The first concerns the choice
of a nine-point Likert scale with five clear steps and the possibility to score each step if
necessary. In the significant test, this choice saved time and extracted variance;
nevertheless, it may be argued that the forced way of extracting variance may give a
biased representation of an individual’s frame of reference regarding activities in the
product innovation process. This potentially biased representation must be considered
in respect to the benefits of using scales to correlate the techniques to capture frames
of reference, thoughts, and interactions.

The second central aspect is related to the purpose of making a significant test in order
to establish relevant, valid, and meaningful elements that may be used in all three
techniques. The elements used in the significant test were all considered relevant for
capturing the entire product innovation process. However, for some elements, the
respondents were uncertain about ascribing some relation to constructs due to their
lack of experience in the field. As such, it may be questioned as to whether these
elements are relevant and within the range of convenience. This will be further
discussed in Chapter 6 when developing and analyzing the elements used in the light
of finding useful, valid, and representative elements. The third aspect is whether the
elements used result in constructs correlating with some components and without
correlation to other constructs. A correlation of one implies that constructs are
synonymous. This will also be addressed in Chapter 6.

5.3 TESTING THE SOCIAL NETWORK ANALYSIS

Social network analysis was used to capture institutionalization in terms of interaction.
An interaction between individuals must be about something, in this case, the same
activity-oriented action (elements) used when conducting the repertory grid.
Extensive testing to establish appropriate and representative activities was mainly
conducted within the focus of the repertory grid technique. Because this technique
requires more precision, if the activities are suitable for the repertory grid, then they
will also be suitable for social and alter-ego network analysis. Capturing cognitive
aspects of an action-oriented element reveals underlying structures in an individual’s
frame of reference, both consciously and unconsciously, while interaction and thought
have a more explicit nature. If an activity (element) works in the cognitive dimension,
then it seems reasonable that it will be possible talk and think about that perticular
activity. However, in order to make sure that this is the case, all elements were used in

53
the main test, providing valuable information for social network and alter-ego
network analysis.

After the extensive testing, a social network matrix was arranged that presented all
elements in the first row and an empty column in which the respondent could name
all of the individuals whom he or she had contacted in the past month (Appendix 5).
This way of doing was selected ahead of using a fix number of individuals in which
the respondent could grade the level of interaction. Providing a fixed list of individuals
would require the names of all individuals with whom the respondent may have
interacted in the past month. In the case of executing a full-scale research plan, the
respondents might interact with a wide range of individuals, creating a large list of
potential names. Therefore, all individuals were asked to specify the persons that they
had contacted. A potential problem with this is the need to secure whether two or
more respondents have contacted the same individual. This was solved by adding a
short description of occupation and company for each listed individual. This had no
effect on the significant test but will be highly relevant for executing the research plan.

When individuals whom the respondent had contacted were listed and given
characteristics, they were graded in relation to the amount of contact made about each
activity (element) within the product innovation process. This could be made by using
an absolute scale giving the exact amount of contacts made during the past month or
by using an approximation translated into a Likert-scale. In this case using a nine-point
Likert scale (Appendix 5) in order to provide meaningful representation of the
interaction and relate this to the scale used in the repertory grid. The nine-point
Likert scale ranged from never to daily contact with an individual the past month. As
such, the scale was exponential and contrary to points representing exact increase
between each point in the scale. One motive for this choice was that the level of
interaction varies widely, which implies exponential points to capture the entire
spectrum of contact. Furthermore, the relative difference between each point in the
scale gave a reasonable number of points. Another important aspect of the scale was
that five grades where assigned numbers; one represented never contacted and three
occasional contacts the past month, giving the respondent the opportunity grade in
between. The respondent was also instructed about this opportunity. In addition, an
approximation of the value of such contact was also made. A valuable contact affected
the view of some activity, implying a change in the frame of reference as captured by
the repertory grid. This was determined by asking the respondent about the effect on
view and effect on work of each contact regarding each element. A nine-point Likert
scale was again used, ranging from no effect to very large effect.

In the significant test, the respondent was instructed to look back at the past month in
the C4-DTN project and asked, “Which individuals have you contacted the past
month concerning aspects in the process such as generate ideas, identify opportunities
etc.?” The instruction was to consider individuals within as well as outside of the
process regarding each activity-oriented element. For Arne, it was relatively easy to
recall the individuals, provide characteristics about them, and grade the degree of

54
contacts made as well as its effect on his view and work. The respondent assigned
numbers to activities discussed with each contact, with each empty square representing
no contact (a score of 1 on the Likert scale). The same procedure was followed when
grading the contacts’ effects on view and work. Since all elements were recognized
from the repertory grid, this part of the test was carried out quickly yet efficiently.

5.4 TESTING THE ALTER-EGO NETWORK ANALYSIS

The alter-ego network analysis (Appendix 5) was used to capture individual thoughts
about activities in a product innovation process. When individuals engage in thought
processes about some activity, it seems reasonable that a change in their frame of
reference may occur, indicating areas of ongoing structuration and institutionalization.
Since alter-ego network analysis is part of social network analysis, they both share the
same problems and considerations regarding the use of elements and scale. Therefore,
the same action-oriented elements were used in the first row, while the first column
only had a square filled with “myself.” The respondent where asked to grade the level
of reflection made during the past month concerning the activities in the repertory
grid. Similar to the scale used in the social network analysis a nine-point Likert scale
was used for grading this reflection as well as the effect on his/her view and the effect on
his/her work over the past month. Using a nine-point scale in all three techniques
simplified statistical use by combining the degree of reflection and contacts with the
repertory grid. The scale was exponential in order to capture the large differences
between no reflection and daily reflection.

An important issue regarding the use of alter-ego network analysis is that the
respondent must provide their actual reflection and not what he or she may think
others want them to answer. This may be a potential problem in a full-scale execution
of the research plan, since it may reveal areas of activities outside the focus of the
present phase of a product innovation process. One might grade an area of reflection
that other participants perceive as important (for example, the project leader) as more
valuable. To address this, the respondent was instructed to “render your personal
understanding/memory.”

55
56
6 C4-DTN – ANALYZING THE SIGNIFICANT TEST

I n this chapter, I will try to analyze the cognitive and social dimensions of the product innovation
process in order to further validate the elements and constructs used when performing the techniques
as well as to refine practical issues regarding these techniques. As such, I will analyze the significant test
carried out in order to further elaborate on the effects of choices relevant to the research plan.

By analyzing the significant test, I can validate whether the elements15 used in each
technique are useful in capturing aspects of frame of reference, thought, interaction,
and action in the product innovation process. The aim of such analysis is not to
highlight the respondents’ perspectives but to use these perspectives to indicate if the
elements are useful for gaining insight into the product innovation process. Another
central aspect is to discuss whether the chosen elements are suitable for capturing an
individual’s frame of reference, thoughts, and interactions regarding action-oriented
aspects (elements) of the product innovation process.

6.1 THE C4-DTN INNOVATION PROJECT

Today, we are living in a society surrounded by mobile- and Internet systems. We use
such systems when working, traveling, and relaxing, which implies that we
consciously or unconsciously use them all the time. However, in some contexts, this
technical equipment cannot connect to a network, for instance, when traveling long
distances in remote areas or underground in cellars or mines. The conventional
technique is based on an end-to-end16 paradigm in which a program, when
connected, downloads the information needed from a predetermined destination. To
accomplish this, both ends of the system must be known in advance so that the data
can be transmitted to the intended destination. The C4-DTN project addresses this by
proposing an opportunistic communication and disruption-tolerant networking
architecture to develop techniques for self-localization and positioning of network
devices with mobility and intermittent connectivity.

The C4-DTN project is financed by EU structural funds with co-financing from

Luleå University of Technology (LUT). Theses funds are intended to cover the costs
of one researcher, three PhD students, one project manager, and one business
representative. The research objectives are related to developing and testing the
techniques that may be transferred to the business representative for widespread
impact. As such, participating individuals in the C4-DTN project define the overall
communication architecture for disruption-tolerant networking, develop algorithms
and prototypes, and test solutions for dissemination to the industrial partner and
potential customers.

15
The process of selecting relevant and meaningful elements is described in Section 5.2.
16
End-to-end refers to two predetermined nodes talking with each other.

57
 6.2 THE PROJECT MANAGER’S FRAME OF REFERENCE ABOUT THE C4-
DTN PROJECT ACTIVITIES
The repertory grid was used to capture the project manager’s frame of reference about
the C4-DTN project. In the following sections, different aspects of the repertory grid
will be analyzed by first introducing the constructs used in order to give meaning to
the different action-oriented activities in the product innovation process.
6.2.1 Introducing the constructs
In this section, the constructs will be introduced; the analysis of constructs in relation
to the components will be discussed in Section 6.2.2. When performing the repertory
grid,17 the respondent was instructed to elicit constructs in order to make sense out of
action-related activities18 (elements) in the product innovation process. Table 10
presents the constructs used when performing the significant test in order to describe
similarities and differences between elements.19 The first construct (create arguments
within field of application20 and create free thoughts) represents a meaningful description for
the respondent of a similarity or difference between activities to be performed in the
process. Constructs 1 through 9 were generated by Arne in order to make sense of the

TABLE 10 Constructs varimax rotated factor loadings on components

CONSTRUCTS COMPONENTS
Rotated Factor loadings
No CONTRAST - POLE + C1 C2 C3 C4
Create arguments within field Create free thoughts
1 0.320 0.185 -0.289 -0.791
of application
2 Financial aspects Technology driven 0.813 0.116 -0.398 -0.011
3 Filtering of idea Unlimited opportunities 0.600 -0.266 0.157 -0.538
4 Increasing freedom of action Limiting freedom of action 0.001 0.951 0.140 -0.086
5 Being controlled / influenced In control -0.011 -0.801 0.146 -0.059
Working without knowing if it May find problem giving
6 0.057 0.179 -0.239 0.882
is right extensive rework
Opportunity to affect product Can no longer affect
7 -0.145 0.407 0.474 -0.281
specification
Develops business (innovative Choose track (time to carry
8 -0.220 0.793 -0.061 0.116
phase) out)
9 Creating phase Constraining budget -0.498 0.550 0.224 0.349
10 Easy to handle Difficult to handle 0.024 0.009 0.742 0.070
Requires a small amount of Requires a large amount of
11 0.763 -0.160 -0.026 -0.291
work effort work effort
12 Least critical for process success Most critical for process success 0.904 -0.253 0.165 -0.000
Least critical for product success Most critical for product
13 0.800 0.037 0.511 0.068
success
Application of previous Requires new ways of thinking
14 0.317 -0.502 0.635 -0.259
knowledge

activities (elements) taking place in the C4-DTN project, while constructs 10 through
14 are the general constructs introduced to describe critical activities of action for the
17
Justification for the significant test and the process of validating elements is described in Chapter 5.
18
The elements used were activities related to actions in the innovation process. The terms “elements” and “activities”
are synonymous in this sense.
19
Some aspects in the table will be dealt with in this section, while others will be discussed in later sections.
20
All constructs are marked in italics.

58
C4-DTN project among all participating individuals. The first nine constructs are
meaningful for the respondent but may not be meaningful for others (transcriptions of
the meaning ascribed to each construct appear in Appendix 6). An important aspect in
making the significant test was to test generated elements as well as indicate the
usefulness of fixed constructs.

Upon closer review of the relationships between all constructs, it may be concluded
that three pairs of constructs show a high degree of correlation (Table 11). Because
they may describe the same similarity or differences and thus no real difference
between the elements, correlating constructs could be regarded as synonymous;
consequently, they should be replaced by another construct representing the two
correlating constructs if no logical explanation may be found. The first pair of
constructs with a high degree of correlation includes constructs generated by the
respondent, indicating a high degree of relation between increasing freedom of action and
in control. This seams like a reasonable relation since activities in control are possible to
manage and thus increase freedom of action. In addition, constructs 4 and 5 loads on the
second component (C2), indicating that there should be some correlation between
them. Therefore, this pair of constructs should be regarded as giving an enriched
description of the component and not as synonymous.

TABLE 11 Highly correlated constructs

Pair Construct Construct Correlation
Increasing freedom of action VS. Limiting
4&5 Being controlled/influenced VS. In control - 0,76
freedom of action
Requires a small amount of work effort Least critical for process success VS. Most
11 & 12 0,81
VS. Requires a large amount of work effort critical for process success
Least critical for process success VS. Most Least critical for product success VS. Most
12 & 13 critical for process success 0,78
critical for product success

The second and third pair of constructs (construct 11 & 12 and 12 & 13) also indicate
a high degree of relation. Aside from being synonymous, the constructs are fixed since
intended for all individuals when executing the research plan. This implies that
constructs describe action in the same way but are forced by fixed constructs without
any possibility for the respondent to change them into describing a real difference.
Based on this, constructs 11, 12 and 13 must be seriously considered. The second pair,
showing the highest degree of correlation, features the following constructs: requires a
small amount of work effort and least critical for process success. It seems reasonable that the
least critical activities require the least amount of work effort; however, this is not
necessarily the case, since different individuals may view some activities as critical for
the process success without requiring a large amount of work effort. For example, the
ation may be performed before and therefore experience might reduce the work effort
thus giving the correlation between the second pair of constructs a logical explanation.
The third pair of constructs indicates a relationship between least critical for process success
and least critical for product success. This seems logical, as critical activities are necessary
for the success of the product. Nevertheless, there might be activities that are critical
for the process but not for the success of the product and therefore should not be

59
treated as synonymous. As in the case of the first pair, all constructs in the second and
third pairs (construct 11, 12 and 13) load on the first component (C1), which indicates
that there should be some similarity between them. Therefore, they should not be
seen as synonymous but as providing an enriched description of aspects of the first
component.
6.2.2 Four dimensions of the C4-DTN project activities
When reviewing the output from the Flexigrid program, four components where
chosen in respect to the course of action presented in Section 5.2.2. As shown in
Table 10, four components are generated and all components are represented by at
least one strong factor loading above 0.7 and therefore account for approximately half
of the explained variance. According to Hair et al. (1998), factor loadings above ±.50
are considered practically significant. In this case, factor loadings above ±.60 were
included in the analysis. The factor loadings marked in green illustrate a strong loading
between a construct and a component (above ±.60), while the light blue factors
indicate a weaker but still practically significant relation (above ±.50). When limiting
to loadings above ±.60, all four components have a fairly rigid structure, with pure
components related to constructs not loading on several components. Only one
construct does not load on any component: Opportunity to affect product specification vs.
Can no longer affect. However, if rounded off, then it will be within the practical limit,
while other constructs21 within the practical limit load on more than one component.

The number of components indicates that the respondent has a fairly complex and
nuanced view of the activities in the C4-DTN project. In terms of variance, the four
components account for 76.3 percent of the total variance (see Appendix 4), which
indicates that the individual’s frame of reference may be explained by the generated
components to a large degree.22 The relatively clear loadings on each component also
imply a clear description of the parts of each component. The four components
indicate a rigid yet complex and nuanced description of the respondent’s frame of
reference. In the following sections, each component will be further discussed.

The first component (C1), technical orientation, due to its semantic relationship to the
constructs, indicates a connection to technical aspects of the process. Within this
component, five constructs (see Table 10) have a strong significant loading; another is
included when rounded off to practical significance in order to describe the
component. This dimension is related to technology-driven aspects, which require a large
amount of work effort and are most critical for both the product and process success. At the same
time, it is somewhat related to a creating phase within the process. Based on the content
of these aspects, they all express some sort of freedom and importance in technology.

According to Table 12, activities considered practical significant are marked in red (or
yellow)23 to indicate activities with a factor loading above (or below) the standard
21
Constructs 3, 13, and 14
22
C1 accounts for 25.6%; C2 for 22.4%; C3 for 13.5%; and C4 for 14.8% of the total variance.
23
The respondent has interacted or reflected about the elements highlighted in orange.

60
deviation of one and thus related to correlating constructs on the same component.
The relation between components, constructs, and elements may be exemplified by
the technical orientation (C1) component, which is positively correlated to
GENERATING IDEAS24 (element C in Table 12) and positively correlated with the
eleventh construct, indicating that this element may be described by the pole construct
as requiring a large amount of work effort. In contrast, the element SUPERVISE TIME,
COST, AND DESIGN (V) is correlated with the contrast of the same construct,
which indicates that the element requires a small amount of work effort.

Activities within the C4-DTN process related to constructs connected to the technical
orientation component (C1) are: GENERATE IDEAS, IDENTIFY SUITABLE
TECHNOLOGY, SIMULATING, TEST TECHNOLOGY/DESIGN, and
DEVELOP CONCEPT. Thus, these activities are represented as unlimited
opportunities and technology-driven aspects that require a large amount of work effort and are
most critical for the success of both process and the product. Contrary related to the contrast
constructs are administrative activities such as GET SUPPORT FROM
MANAGEMENT/FINANCIER, PLAN PROJECT and SUPERVISE TIME,
COST AND DESIGN (marked as yellow in Table 12) which Arne describe as related
to financial aspects that are least critical for process and product success, require a small amount
of work effort, and can be used as a filter for ideas.

TABLE 12 Elements relation to components

COMPONENT
Rotated factor scores
ELEMENTS C1 C2 C3 C4
A User feedback -0.513 -0.249 -2.085 0.354
B Get support from
-1.907 -2.714 0.395 1.141
management/financier
C Generate ideas 1.429 -0.317 -0.200 -2.839
D Identify perspectives of others 0.243 0.806 -0.275 0.749
E Identify suitable technology 1.452 0.345 0.105 0.782
F Identify opportunities 0.491 -1.218 -0.609 -2.438
G Plan/adapt for manufacturing -0.877 0.880 0.546 0.478
H Plan project -1.316 -0.840 -0.395 -0.050
I Programming -0.094 -0.067 -0.706 -0.241
J Simulating 1.272 0.332 0.103 0.625
K Write product specification -0.210 0.040 -0.568 0.032
L Final tests on users -0.104 0.270 -1.006 0.422
M Product release -0.677 1.938 2.380 -0.451
N User studies 0.038 0.208 -0.923 0.668
O Test technology/design 1.849 0.347 -0.740 1.638
P Elaborate distribution -0.588 0.012 1.157 -0.294
Q Elaborate support -0.750 -0.042 0.296 -0.391
R Educate employees -0.547 0.000 0.199 -0.448
S Develop business plan for the
0.596 -0.928 2.077 0.325
innovation
T Develop concept 1.018 -0.882 1.031 0.435
U Choose algorithm 0.753 -0.151 0.105 0.172
V Supervise time, cost, and
-1.557 2.229 -0.886 -0.670
design

24
All elements appear in CAPITALS.

61
The second component (C2), process control, is significantly related to the
constructs25 of limiting freedom of action, being controlled/influenced, and choose track (time to
carry out) and has practical significance to the constructs constraining budget and
application of previous knowledge. Thus, this component seems to be related to control of
actions in the product innovation process. The elements26 related to constructs of this
component (C2) are SUPERVISE TIME, COST, AND DESIGN and PRODUCT
RELEASE. These two activities seem to be related to ongoing, limiting, and
influencing choices within the process. It seems logical that a project manager might
describe the element SUPERVISE TIME, COST, AND DESIGN as limiting
freedom of action. These actions restrain the actions of others within the project
frames being controlled and thus cause a need to choose a track within these frames. At
the same time, the project manager is controlled/influenced, which indicates that he is
not a part of setting the frames that he is controlling. Logically, the element
PRODUCT RELEASE implies a finished innovation that is limited by a fixed date in
which the innovation must be ready, implying choices of and influence on action.

The alter perspective of process control (C2) is related to elements with a negative
factor score (marked in yellow) as shown in Table 12. The elements IDENTIFY
OPPORTUNITIES and GET SUPPORT FROM MANAGEMENT/FINANCIER
are described by their correlation with the constructs creating phase, develops business
(innovative phase), in control, and increasing freedom of action. It seems logical to describe
the element IDENTIFY OPPORTUNITIES as related to a creating phase that develops
business and in which an individual is in control of the action, which increases freedom of
action. To GET SUPPORT FROM MANAGEMENT/FINANCIER is surprisingly
related to the creative phase of the innovation process. One way of viewing this is the
need for creativity when obtaining support; the decisions made by
management/financier give the project manager increased freedom of action in order to
carry out the innovation process. Another way of viewing this relationship is by
viewing the innovation as consisting of a creative phase and ending in a decision from
management/financier about whether or not to carry out the innovation process.

The third component (C3), business orientation, is mainly related to the component
difficult to handle; it may also be described as requiring new ways of thinking, most critical for
product success, and can no longer affect. When only reviewing the constructs, it is easy to
ascribe a creative aspect to this component; however, it is related to the activities of
PRODUCT RELEASE, DEVELOP BUSINESS PLAN FOR THE
INNOVATION, ELABORATE DISTRIBUTION, and DEVELOP CONCEPT.
These elements seems related to business and due to the technical background of the
project manager are viewed as difficult to handle, which implies new ways of thinking for
the manager; this new ways of thinking construct could also be related to the need to
foresee the impact of the innovation in order to develop a business plan and
distribution. In respect to the role of project manager, it is logical to ascribe these
25
See Table 10
26
See Table 12

62
activities as critical but seems contradictory when the activities cannot be affected. In
respect to the timeline of the present innovation process, these activities (DEVELOP
BUSINESS PLAN and DEVEOLOP CONCEPT) are relatively early in the process,
while the other two activities occur in the last phase. It seems contradictory that the
activities in the ending phase are perceived as can no longer affect the process, even
though it is still in progress.

When turning to the alter perspective of business orientation (C3), the activities of
USER FEEDBACK and FINAL TESTS ON USERS are described as easy to handle,
opportunity to affect product specification, and least critical for product success. Among these
activities, there are some contradictions. From a technical perspective, these activities
could be easy to handle, since they concern the testing of the present innovation in a
real setting. It is not a complicated task to arrange from a project manager perspective.
In the same way, these tests and feedback result in a need to refine. Nevertheless, these
activities are considered least critical for product success, which suggests that they are
useless and do not add value to the innovation process. On the other hand, these
activities could be least critical in relation to the importance of getting an innovation
at all. It seems like that further discussion with the respondent is needed for
clarification.

The fourth component (C4), adaptation, is related to the constructs of filtering the idea,
finding problems giving extensive rework, and creating arguments within field of application. All
of these constructs involve adapting to reality by filtering ideas, modifying innovation,
or as a basis for arguments if the innovation turned out well. Not surprisingly, these
constructs are related to the activities of TEST TECHNOLOGY/DESIGN and GET
SUPPORT FROM MANAGEMENT/ FINANCIER. This appears logically since
testing may work as a reality filter for ideas and may provide extensive rework as well
as powerful arguments, since the tests indicate strengths and weaknesses of the
innovation in a proactive way. These arguments may also be used when obtaining
SUPPORT FROM MANAGEMENT/FINANCIER if extensive rework is
necessary. From a innovation process perspective, tests are made in a mid-phase while
support from management are given great weight in an early phase and occasionally
throughout the entire process, due to project evaluations and unforeseen implications.
From this perspective, SUPPORT FROM MANAGEMENT is an activity in
constant need of argument, while TESTING TECHNOLOGY/DESIGN creates
arguments.

The alter perspective of adaptation (C4) is described by the constructs create free
thoughts, unlimited opportunities and working without knowing if it is right. These constructs
concern adaptation but in a more reactive way. Thus, they may be used to
IDENTIFY OPPORTUNITIES and GENERATE IDEAS. These activities are
reactive adaptations characterized by unlimited opportunities through free thoughts. It
is impossible to determine whether the ideas are right or not unless critical reviews or
pretests are made concerning the ideas and opportunities identified. These activities
take place in an early phase of the innovation process, which is logical to its describing

63
constructs, since this project has broadly defined boundaries with great
maneuverability until details of the innovation are elaborated; thus, these relations
seem logical from both a project manager and innovation process perspective.

6.3 SOCIAL NETWORK ANALYSIS ABOUT THE C4-DTN PROJECT

Turning to social network analysis, communication about each action-oriented
activity and its effect on the respondent’s view and work were determined. Only a
few activities were discussed by the project manager during the past month.27 Mainly,
he had communicated with individuals representing organizations that were not
involved in the innovation process as business representatives. Discussions were related
to actions of GENERATING IDEAS and IDENTIFYING OPPORTUNITIES.28
Notably, these contacts had only a minor or no effect on his view and work. The
individual with the largest effect on the project manager’s view was a project member
responsible for the research. In addition to discussing the aspects29 already mentioned,
they also communicate about PROJECT PLANNING as well as TIME, COST,
AND DESIGN. These discussions had a larger effect on the respondent’s view and
especially his work. A logical explanation is that the respondent need to be well-
informed of present ideas and opportunities as well as present state in relation to
deliverables in order to discuss and develop new ideas and opportunities with business
representatives. Planning and supervision are also closely related to the identity
ascribed to a project manager.

When linking the results from the social network analysis to the repertory grid, it may
be concluded that activities related to three (C1, C2, C4) of the four components
were discussed during the past month. The only component not discussed was
activities related to business orientation (C3). Since business-oriented aspects are seen
as post-development (they [can] no longer affect the process but are still [most] critical for
product’s success and are difficult to handle), it is likely that this aspect should be discussed,
at least within the team. In this sense, the process lacks a relationship to business
orientation aspects; on the other hand, the project manager has contacted business
representatives to identify opportunities. This may be a first step of introducing a
connection to business orientation (C3) since the opportunities of business
representatives could be the ones being internally discussed and strived for.

27
The matrix about contacts is found in Appendix 5.
28
The five activities discussed and/or thought about appear in orange in Table 12.
29
Aspects refer to various ways of discussing an activity (element). For example, the activity of generating ideas may be
directly discussed when generating an idea or it may be discussed from the aspect of reviewing an already generated idea.

64
 6.4 ALTER-EGO NETWORK ANALYSIS ABOUT THE C4-DTN PROJECT
Alter-ego network analysis reveals about which activities of the C4-DTN process that
the project manager has been actively thinking. The results indicate that only four
aspects have been given conscious thought:30 IDENTIFY PERSPECTIVES OF
OTHERS, IDENTIFY OPPORTUNITIES, PLAN PROJECT, and SUPERVISE
TIME, COST, AND DESIGN. The respondent thought about all of these activities
a number of times over the past month except for IDENTIFY PERSPECTIVES OF
OTHERS, which was thought about to a lesser extent. Similar to the effects of
discussions, the three activities given a larger degree of thought are the ones indicating
a larger effect on work, while the other had a greater effect on his view than on his
work. A logical interpretation is that actions relatet to IDENTIFY PERSPECTIVES
OF OTHERS are relevant and thus will effect his view, but mostly will effect the
actions of others participating in the process. This since others perspectives are about
the innovation and thus not effect the actions ascribed to identity of the project
manager, but rather transferred to identity of the researcher. Once again, it is not
astonishing that activities such as planning and supervising are central to identity of the
project manager.

6.5 CONCLUDING REFLECTIONS ABOUT THE METHODS USED

Based on this significant test, several conclusions can be made regarding aspects of and
the usefulness of these techniques. The repertory grid technique was able to provide
detailed descriptions of the guidelines that an individual ascribes to activities within a
product innovation process. In order to further enhance this description, follow-up
interviews are needed in order to clarify understanding of the relationship between
constructs and elements. Moreover, more precision in the description of constructs is
needed to avoid ambiguity. For example, financial aspects vs. technology driven31 can be
further divided into two constructs, i.e. more or less financially-oriented and more or
less technology-driven, if meaningful for the respondent. If so, these construct should
be divided into separate constructs when conducting the repertory grid interview.

A very important reflection concerning the use of several techniques is their ability to
capture different and especially complementing aspects of an innovation process. Based
on the repertory grid several elements were loaded on the four components (Table
13). Alter-ego network analysis identified an activity given much thought and with
effects on work and view but not central on any component according to the
repertory grid. In the same way, the repertory grid indicates several activities on the
first component (C1) as requiring a large amount of work effort and as most critical for
process and product success; nevertheless, these activities were not discussed by the project
manager. If using these techniques on several individuals in the innovation process, it
is probable that alternative and/or varying descriptions and relations would occur. For
30
Appendix 5 presents the matrix about thought.
31
See Table 10

65
example, the noncentral mid-phase activities32 might the research representative
ascribe great importance, since this is their primary area of action.

Another conclusion is that most aspects discussed appear to be in the early phase.
However, in contrast the research representative would probably discuss and think
about aspects ascribed to the mid-phase. What might be troublesome is the lack of
discussion about business-oriented aspects in the late phase. Ideas and technical
development made in the early and mid-phases will not be transformed into use if
these aspects are not developed or discussed. Another possible explanation is that this
process does not aim toward selling a product but only to plant its implications within
the company; therefore, the activities in the late phase are dealt with within the
company and not within the scope of the innovation process.

TABLE 13 Activities used

Central elements33
Early phase Mid phase
User Feedback Simulating
Get support from Test technology/design
management/financier
Generate ideas Develop concept
Identify suitable technology Supervise time, cost, and
design
Identify opportunities
Plan project
Elements not central on any component
Identify perspectives of others Choose algorithm
User studies
Write product specification
Programming
Late phase
Elaborate distribution
Develop business plan for the
innovation
Final tests on users
Product release
Educate employees
Plan/adapt for manufacturing
Elaborate support

The aim of the significant test was to evaluate whether fixed elements representing
actions within the product innovation process could be used and, if so, to validate
these elements since the entire study is dependent on relevant and valid elements used
in all three techniques. Based on the results in Table 13, there are elements that appear
to be central to each phase in the process. There are also a number of elements that
are discussed and/or thought about (marked orange), suggesting that these elements
may be ascribed meaning but are not discussed in the present stage of the innovation
process. A central consideration is whether elements used in this test may be
expanded in a broader sense to several individuals in a product innovation process. It is
highly plausible that elements not considered central in the mid-phase might be
considered as more important to individuals working on activities in this phase. The
elements not appearing as central in the ending phase are elements that may be specific
instead of generic for an innovation process. In this case, such element might be more
relevant for an innovation to be commercialized by a company.

32
See Table 13
33
A central element refers to elements with loadings on one or more of the four components.

66
7 FORMULATING A RESEARCH PLAN OF PRODUCT
INNOVATION PROCESSES

T his section will first address aspects drawn from the significant test and its implications, resulting
in focus questions for a future study. These questions will be addressed from a theoretical and a
methodological perspective in order to develop a research plan.

7.1 FORMULATING A FOCUS OF THE RESEARCH PLAN

As previously described in Section 3.6, innovation processes are sometimes described
from the perspective of best practice activities (Fairlie-Clarke & Muller, 2003;
Cooper, Edgett & Kleinschmidt, 2002; Feldman & Page, 1984). However, these
suggestions of best practice innovation activities are not applicable to all contexts in
terms of action due to their level of abstraction. Elements used in the significant test
were derived from theory, suggesting activities that could represent action, and
interviews, giving different perspectives in order to make the elements representative
of action within this context. In the significant test, elements were used by various
techniques in order to capture different aspects of a product innovation process. One
result of this test was that individuals participating in the innovation process might
construct activities in one way, interact about other activities, and think about yet
another activity. In other words, innovation processes are complex and cannot be fully
understood through a sequential best practice perspective.

Since innovation, by definition, is something perceived as new, and the innovation

process depends on the innovation being developed, then one might assume that
every innovation process should be unique in some way. Otherwise, the process
would reproduce a present product. To a large degree, there will be similarities to activities
performed in previously innovation processes within the company. Some activities will be
considered unimportant and thus withdrawn from the plan of activities within the
innovation process, while other activities may be considered important and thus
added; however, there will not be an exact match in terms of actions performed.
There will always be some freedom of action within the innovation process. As
Giddens (1984) points out, the action taken will guide future action; thus, there should
be some level of correspondence between processes and individual views of activities and actions to
be made in the process. Nevertheless, even if activities differ slightly between performed
innovation processes and individual action within the frame of these activities, they are
still built on a reproduction of institutional structures that provide stability and meaning to
performed thoughts, actions, and interactions. Based on this, individuals will construct
activities differently, but these activities (elements) are generic (with some unique
traits). This makes it meaningful to use common elements for individuals within an
innovation process that are adjusted to context between different innovation processes.
Consequently, these are the details of a product innovation process that are of great
importance in understanding the dynamics of innovation.

67
As the significant test indicates, several techniques must be used in order to capture the
dynamic nature of an innovation processes. In the section above, I argue for
differences and similarities among innovation processes but the significant test makes it
plausible that different individuals will have distinct views concerning the innovation
process. For example, some technically-oriented elements were not central for the
project manager but would probably be very central for those individuals obliged to
perform these tasks. As such, it seems likely that each individual ascribes an identity toward
action and interaction within the innovation process. By combining techniques, differences
may be highlighted to provide details of the product innovation process.

Another important feature of product innovation processes, as indicated by the

significant test, is the difference in activities that are more central to different phases of
the process. Following a sequential view, it seems logical that action should represent
the present phase. Based on this view, some activities should only take place in an
initial phase and perhaps thought about and discussed in later phases. However,
different techniques might reveal a chaotic innovation process in which some things
are iteratively interacted about and may be acted on within the process. Nevertheless,
central elements in a particular phase might be more interacted about and/or thought about
before, during, and after it has been made in action.

An important note for future studies, based on the significant test, is that the
combination of techniques requires a large amount of time for the researcher and the
participating individual(s). As indicated above, it seems necessary to use several
techniques in order to capture these aspects of a product innovation process. This
might make it more difficult to find companies that are willing to take part in this
research. This could be addressed by reducing the scope of the study from the entire
innovation process to one segment of the process, such as the early phase or fuzzy
front end. According to Khurana and Rosenthal (1997), the front end process begins
when individuals first recognize an opportunity and ends with the deliverables of a
product concept, a clear product definition, and a project plan. The fuzzy front end is
also a research area presently receiveing much attention from researchers; a search on
“fuzzy front end” in business source elite, Blackwell Synergy, Science Direct, and
Emerald yielded 17 relevant articles34 published between 1997 and 2006.
Consequently, focusing on the early phase of the product innovation process would be
beneficial for the intended techniques, companies’ willingness to participate, and
gaining knowledge of the early phase of innovation.

This discussion highlights some fundamental issues and perspectives of innovation

processes based on the significant test. The overall goal is to contribute to the field of
innovation processes by addressing the continuous micro-processes in the product
innovation process as an initial idea evolves into a concept. Returning to the
illustration presented in the introduction, Edison and his assistant iteratively thought
about, interacted, and acted in different directions, which resulted in an innovation.
These thoughts, interactions, and actions continuously evolved into an innovation.
34
The search rendered 22 hits, 17 of which were considered relevant in respect to the fuzzy front end.

68
This example, however, does not explain the structures of a clear product definition
and a project plan as indicated by Khurana and Rosenthal (1997). However, Edison
recognized an opportunity and had a clear vision (but not a clear product definition)
where the initial idea iteratively transformed into an innovation. This results in the
following focus question:

1. How does an innovation process unfold as a product idea transforms into a concept?

Important aspects of this focus question are to clarify what the early phase is and how
it may be transforming; these aspects are addressed in Section 7.2. In order to
understand how the early phase of product innovation processes unfolds, one must
understand the implicit details summing up in to mechanisms that influence this phase.
A first step is to visualize cause-effect relations of the unfolding product innovation
process. Possibilities of the techniques used in the significant test and identification of
mechanisms are related to the interrelation of action, interaction, thought, and
individual constructs of the process at the individual level. Thus, it is not a question of
objective mechanical relations but rather a subjective view of how participating
individuals perceive their mechanisms (cause-effect relations). This results in a second
focus question:

2. What mechanisms influence the early phase of product innovation processes?

Both focus questions are at the center of the V-diagram presented in Figure 9. This
diagram is a simplified version of the one presented by Novak and Gowin (1984).
However, it is sufficient for the purpose of linking the conceptual and methodological
sides in order to guide the outlined focus questions. The V-diagram also works as a
guiding structure for the forthcoming sections of this chapter; thus, the research plan
presented based on these focus questions will guide a theoretical presentation, resulting
in the purpose for the future dissertation followed by a methodological discussion.

69
 CONCEPTUAL
Theory:
x Theory of Innovation
x Old institutional theory
x Structuration theory
x Theory of personal constructs.
Principles:
x A product innovation is something
perceived as new.
x In innovation processes, individuals
construct their reality as bipolar
constructs characterizing events of
action and interaction.
x Innovation processes are a social
context guided by structures being
produced/reproduced through the
interplay of intended/unintended
consequences of action and
interaction, social structures, and
modes of mediation.
x Innovation processes are institutions
guiding the thoughts and actions of
participating individuals.
x In innovation processes, individual
thoughts, actions, and interactions are
guided by frames of reference.
x Structures in innovation processes are
constantly moving toward
homogeneity.
x Innovation processes contain both
homogeneity and heterogeneity in
individual frames of references.
x Individuals ascribe identity, affecting
the way that an individual thinks
he/she should act or interact.
x Individuals participating in innovation
processes form routines or patterns of
action and interaction.
Concepts:
x Product innovation process
x Frame of reference
x Thought
x Action
x Interaction
x Structures
x Homogeneity
x Heterogeneity
x Identity
x Routines
FIGURE 9 Evolving the research plan through a V-diagram
METHODOLOGICAL
FOCUS QUESTIONS:
1. How does an Tentative knowledge claims:
innovation process x The product innovation arises from
unfold as a product a single individual and unfolds
idea transforms into a through a social process of thought,
concept? action, and interaction.
x Present structures in terms of
2. What mechanisms routines guide the thoughts, actions,
influence the early and interactions made among
phase of product individuals in the product
innovation processes? innovation process.
x The product innovation process will
show a dynamic exchange of
thoughts, actions, and interactions.
x Within the product innovation
process, individuals will indicate
differences in activities due to
identity.
Transformations:
x Analyze frame of reference through PCA
of elements and constructs in relation to
identity and the innovation process
x Analyze thought by relating degree of
thought about elements through AENA in
respect to logic of individual’s identity
and the innovation process
x Analyze interaction by relating degree of
interaction about elements through SNA
in respect to logic of individual’s identity
and the innovation process
x Analyze action by elements in repertory
grid, interviews, and observation in
respect to logic of individual’s identity
and the innovation process
Records:
x Matrixes of elements’ relation to
constructs in sets of time
x Taped recordings and transcriptions
of interviews for frame of reference
validity and causes of change.
x Matrixes of individuals’ interactions
about elements in sets of time
x Matrixes of individuals’ thoughts
about elements in sets of time
x Records of observed action made in
sets of time
Objects:
x A product innovation process
Events:
x Structured interviews of repertory grid, social
network analysis, and alter-ego network analysis.
x Follow-up interviews
x Observations
70
 7.2 CONCEPTUAL CONSIDERATIONS IN THE RESEARCH PLAN
The phenomenon under examination is the early phase of the product innovation
process. In respect to this, it is relevant to define the early phase. Returning to the
view of Khurana and Rosenthal (1997), the fuzzy front end process starts with the
recognition of an idea and ends when the project is presented and thus committed
resources or terminated. In the words of Reid and de Brentani (2004), the fuzzy front
end is related to all “activity spent on an idea prior to the first official group meeting
to discuss it,” or what they call “the start date of team alignment.” They further
discuss how the fuzzy front end process involves idea generation and concept
development along with information collection and pre-screening. Reid and de
Brentani also mention that some initial funds are allocated for exploring the new idea.
Other authors (Alam, 2006; Kim & Wilemon, 2002; Zhang & Doll, 2001; Koen et al.,
2001) discuss similar definitions of the fuzzy front end of innovation processes. In this
thesis, the terms “early phase” and “fuzzy front end” refer to the same underlying
activities of thought, interaction, and action. Looking back at the simplified model of
an innovation process presented in Table 4, all activities in the early phase would
apply to those performed in the fuzzy front end. Therefore, the early phase and fuzzy
front end are treated as synonymous but will hence only be referred to as the early
phase.

When clarifying the beginning and end of activities in early phases of a product
innovation process, it is important to further develop the collective and subjective
character of this early phase. In relation to the first focus question (How does an
innovation process unfold as a product idea transforms into a concept?), some literature
provides a black or white view, only discussing included or excluded activities (cf.
authors presented in Table 4). However, there are gray areas in terms of this phase (see
Figure 10). The activity of developing product ideas may begin in the mind of an
individual during daily ongoing institutionalized moments of action and interaction.

Early phase
Product idea Concept Evolving
process
In head/in heads Diverse ideas
Formulated
Formulated
Espoused
Promulgated Promulgated

FIGURE 10 The beginning and end of the early phase

Then, the individual evolves this idea by formulating it in relation to the self and to
significant others. In order to be an innovation, it must be perceived as new in relation
to present structures. After some interaction and action, the idea will be espoused by
significant others; after a formal encounter, the idea may be promulgated as workable.
Somewhere in between these states, the early phase begins. The beginning of the early
phase is thus subjective in the sense that no clear cut moment may be specified. The
collective character is related to the degree of involvement with significant others in
71
order to start and evolve an early phase. In relation to this thesis, it would be
preferable to enter the early stage as early as possible.

The practical side of this concerns problems of access to the arena in which the
product idea evolves. It is not possible to enter the early phase in the mind of the
individual coming up with the initial grain of idea. It may even be harder to enter the
stage of formulating the idea, since it may be difficult for the individual to describe the
idea, or he or she may have a vague notion of the related context and features. If
granted formal access and provided with trust, then it would be possible to enter in
the arena which ideas are exchanged with significant others with some degree of
alignment (espoused) and formed into something possible to express and discuss.
When promulgated, the idea has been accepted as something to which to devote
resources, which makes it easier to find and be granted access to the organization.
Similarly, a concept may be described as consisting of diverse ideas to be delivered as a
formulated concept agreed upon in relation to significant others or as a promulgated
concept to carry on with or to terminate. In this thesis, the early phase ranges from
promulgated product idea to concept. In this way, the early phase can be formally
recognized in descriptions and decisions, which simplifies problems related to
identification and access.

Another issue related to the focus on early phase, is the length in time between the
initial and concluding activity performed within this phase. In other words, is the early
phase large enough in time period to be captured within the individuals in a
meaningful manner using the intended techniques. By arguing that action and
interaction will lead to an altered frame of reference and structures (see the conceptual
model in Figure 5), the early phase must last at least long enough to perform the
actions and interactions. However, it is not a question of time per se but rather the
level of action and interaction within the information setting (space, not time). The
focus is thus on the actions and interactions made within the early phase, which, if
measured in time, could vary considerably. Change in an individual’s frame of
reference could occur in seconds or over several months. Similarly, if no actions or
interactions are made, then time passes without any change in the individual’s frame of
reference or guiding structures. In other words, time is irrelevant in respect to space
and thus to the actions and interactions made in the early phase.

Let us return once more to the first focus question: how does an innovation process unfold
as a product idea transforms into a concept? To elaborate on how, let us review the
collective and subjective character of product innovation as characterized by the
principles presented in the V-diagram in Figure 9. When an idea arises in an
individual during the ongoing moments of action and interaction, it will change his or
her present frame of reference. Individual frames of reference accumulate and
assimilate past experiences from which to draw in social encounters of thoughts,
actions, and interactions. These accumulated and assimilated frames of reference are
organized as bipolar constructs characterizing the encountered experience. In this way,
context, situations, and individuals may be guided as good or bad, simple or complex,

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etc. As such, an individual’s future thoughts, actions, and interactions are guided by past
constructed encounters that have been accumulated and assimilated into their frame of
reference. This implies that the early phases of product innovation processes arise out of
an individual either using a past experience as model on a “different” encountered
situation or by using a “different” model on an encountered situation. In both cases,
the result will be a modification of the present frame of reference guiding thought,
action, and interaction due to unintended consequences in either situation or frame of
reference. In other words it implies something new or innovative in terms of
products.

Individuals taking part in the early phase of the product innovation process are all
guided by their frames of reference, which are based on their unique collection of
experience. However, on a collective level, they are all experiencing the same actions
and interactions during their participation in the innovation process, which causes
them to relate to similar structures in their frames of reference. In this sense,
individuals constantly thrive toward homogeneity in these structures; however, there will
never be an exact match in terms of past experience, which implies both homogeneity
and heterogeneity in individual frames of reference. This homogeneity and heterogeneity
may overlap during the early phase depending on time and focus.

In the beginning of the early phase, a large degree of heterogeneity about the idea
exists; through social encounters, and thus common experience, homogeneity will
develop over time. Also contributing to a high degree of homogeneity is a sense of
shared risk with significant others. If a high degree of homogeneity exists, then one
does not stand alone if questioned within the organization. However, there may be a
large degree of homogeneity about the concept but not how to generate the concept,
depending on the focus of interest. It is thus possible to indicate a high degree of
homogeneity about the activities but does not necessarily imply a high degree of
homogeneity about the fundamental features included in the concept. Homogeneity
and heterogeneity are also related to differences in identity ascribed by participating
individuals, which affects the part of an individual’s frame of reference that is activated
in an encountered situation. If an individual has a deep-structured identity as project
manager, then he or she will most likely ascribe certain constructs into the situation as more
important than an individual ascribing another identity.

In the early phase, individuals produce something new in terms of thought, action,
and interaction that is both enabled and restricted by the individual’s frame of
reference. Nevertheless, since individuals draw on past experiences when producing
thoughts, actions, and interactions, they are also reproducing structures. Therefore,
patterns may occur, which may restrict new ways of thought, action, and interaction.
These institutionalized patterns can include rules, routines, norms, and values giving
guidance of appropriate ways of thoughts, actions, and interactions among participants
within the social arena surrounding a product innovation process. If individuals have
participated in early phases of previous product innovation processes, then they have
produced and reproduced patterns, which assures some degree of homogeneity in

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activities to be made. However, restrictions due to institutional patterns depend on the
content of these institutional rules, routines, norms, and values not on homogeneity or
heterogeneity per se.

This discussion of the early phase of product innovation processes presents some
central concepts: product innovation processes, frames of reference, thoughts, actions,
interactions, structures, homogeneity, heterogeneity, and identity. Several of these
concepts are complex in their construction and especially in their relation to each
other. Product innovation process has a natural representation to context in which this
research will create knowledge. Concepts like frame of reference, thought, action,
interaction, and structure relate to the theoretical areas of structuration and
institutionalization. However, the relationships between these concepts are unclear
and uncertain from a theoretical perspective due to different uses of similar concepts
on different dimensions depending on the theoretical focus.

From an institutional perspective, Scott (2001) describes how an institution rests on a

regulative, normative, and cultural-cognitive pillar. Within these pillars, Scott argues
that different dimensions all transmit the institution as a carrier and thus provide
stability and meaning to social life in product innovation processes. These rules,
norms, and cognitive meanings arise in interaction and are constantly preserved and
modified in action (ibid). Giddens (1979) includes action as well as interaction as
fundamental to an individual’s ongoing production and reproduction of social
structures. Clearly, both interaction and action stand out as central concepts. If turning
to the carriers of institutions (Table 14), Scott suggests four carriers with different
features related to each pillar. However, these categorizations are not fixed; theorists
vary in which features and carriers they emphasize. One reason for this might be the
comprehensive research needed if all carriers within each pillar were collected within
the institution (the early phase of a product innovation process). Therefore, I will
focus on routines as a carrier of institutions.

Routines are patterns of action and interaction.

This definition does not exclusively relate to routines as specific sequences of action
and interaction like a repetitive movement on an assembly line. A routine may contain
some degree of variation, which in itself implies small variations while still
reproducing the routine. Feldman (2000) elaborates on this, stating that the
continuous variation included in the very essence of routines gives it “qualities of both
stability and change.” Nevertheless, reoccurrence is central in the concept of routines,
which may be defined as “patterns of action and interaction” (Becker, 2004). Included
in these patterns is a repertoire of possible ways of action and interaction that
incorporate the pattern to be included in the routine. This resembles Feldman’s (2000)
view of routines, which states that “change is more than choosing from among a
repertoire of responses, and that the repertoire itself, and the rules that govern choice
within a repertoire can also change.” In this paper, changes in patterns of action and
interaction are represented by changes in an individual’s frame of reference; thus, both

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the repertoire of possible action and interaction as well as the view of which action is
chosen may change over time and space while still performing a routine.

Defining a routine, Scott (2001) emphasizes habitual behavior reflecting held and
conveyed tacit knowledge, i. e. patterns of action and interaction. However, this
definition leads to challenges. A routine as a pattern of action and interaction may be
described (which is difficult if seen as tacit knowledge) but not the initial origin or
cause, which may be taken for granted and thus difficult to express in words.
Individuals may describe what they do but not why they do it. A possible answer
could be, “because we always have…” or in exceptional case a story telling the origin
of a particular routine. Furthermore, individuals in early phases may describe their
patterns of action and interaction in one way (espoused theories) but act and interact
in another way (theories in use; cf. Argyris & Schon, 1978). By defining routines as
patterns of action and interaction, I do not focus on a normative or legitimizing use of
routines but rather on descriptions of what individuals usually do in an early phase.
Argyris, Putnam, and McLin Smith (1985) state that patterns of action and interaction
are made explicit through reflection and then governed by individuals’ theories-in-use
(in other words, what they usually do). If individuals emphasize “espoused theories” of
their action and interaction, it is detected by the use of several techniques for
capturing these concepts. If returning to the features described in the dimension of
routines (Table 14), protocols and standard operating procedures will represent
patterns of action and interaction usually done in the early phase. This “usually done”
represents the need for previously performed early phases and thus experience in the
individual’s frame of reference.

TABLE 14 The pillars and carriers of institutions

Source: Scott, (2001)
Carriers Pillars
Regulative Normative Cultural-cognitive
Symbolic systems Rules, laws Values, expectations, Categories,
standards typifications, schema
Relational systems Governance systems, Regimes, authority Structural isomorphism,
power systems systems identities
Routines Protocols, standard Jobs, roles, obedience to Scripts
operating procedures duty
Artifacts Objects complying Objects meeting Objects possessing
with mandated conventions, standards symbolic value
specifications

In the second pillar, Scott (2001) relates roles and obedience to duty as normative
features. Instead of roles, I will use the concept of identity, even though it is
mentioned as a relational carrier of the cultural-cognitive pillar. As described in
Section 3.3, individuals ascribe identities in social settings, which may be deeply
structured within the self or situated identification only lasting, as the situational cues
exist within a particular context (Rousseau, 1998). Roles can affect action and
interaction in the social setting but are necessarily not incorporated into the self
(situated identity). Scott does not elaborate on the difference between identity and
role. However, differences arise through implicit use of this categorization of relational

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systems as relying on “patterned expectations connected to networks of social
positions: role systems” related to cognitive identity as contrary to routines relying on
“patterned actions that reflect the tacit knowledge of actors” related to normative
roles. He relates roles to action and identities to expectations of social position (role
systems).

Concerning role and identity, there are inconsistencies in the argumentation

performed by Scott (2001). One way of looking at this difference is to view roles as
placing “himself or herself into a defined position relative to others,” while identity
has a categorical distinction incorporated into the self (Brewer, 2001). If incorporated
into the self, it lies closer to tacit knowledge, since an individual probably cannot
rationalize actions routed in identity while possible for role action. Using the analogy
of an actor, he or she plays a role, but it does not feel real until a part of the self is
incorporated into the role. Similarly, a project manager defines himself or herself
relative to other participating individuals as having some degree of authority and
legitimacy, which places him or her in a power position relative to the significant
others in action and interaction. This role, however, may not be acted or interacted in
a trustworthy way until incorporated into the self. Because it is difficult to separate
them, the concept of identity will be related to an ascribed routine as a guideline for
action and interaction, which may be temporal as in situated identification or deeply
structured and thus tacitly incorporated into the individual’s self. Included in this view
of identity is an expectation of a certain way of action, which may be either self-
induced by viewing others or by reproducing structures in action or interaction with
significant others. It is also possible to feel uncomfortable within an ascribed identity,
representing a discrepancy between identity and self. Since my view of identity is
based on a temporal state within a situation, it resembles the view of having multiple
identities.

In the cultural-cognitive pillar, scripts are called a feature of routines. Although Scott
(2001) does not elaborate on fundamental differences between schemas and scripts,
scripts are assumed to be more closely related to action. In this thesis, I view the
concept of frame of reference as synonymous to the term schema35as used by Scott.
When individuals engage in thinking or participate in a social situation through action
and interaction, they draw on their frames of reference to make sense of the situation.
Thus, individual frames of reference guide actions, interactions, and interpretation.
Because frame of reference and scripts are so closely intertwined (consequently
difficult to separate besides in theory), they will be treated as synonymous; thus, frame
of reference is a routine-based concept of the cultural-cognitive pillar. The concept of
frame of reference was elaborated in Section 3.2. Another central concept used in this
thesis is thought, which may be argued as related to a tacit dimension, action related as
in purposeful, and to a cognitive dimension. When an individual engage in thinking
processed he or she draws on their frame of reference to take action or interact.
However, routines as patterns of action and interaction may also reflect mechanical
representations of purposeful action and interaction not involved in a purposeful
35
The term “frame of reference” is seen as synonymous to schema and cognitive structure.

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thinking process. Therefore, thought is also included as a central concept in this
category.

When turning towards these concepts relation to structuration, they are also
fundamentals in the ongoing moments of maintaining the institution through
production and reproduction of structures. Action and interaction are fundamental
parts of structuration that draw on social structures of legitimation, signification, and
domination. Receiving intended consequences reproduces the same structures and
otherwise it will produce new structures governing that particular social setting (cf.
Macintosh, 1994). According to Giddens (1979), this package of structures is
mediated through frames of reference, resources, and norms and is viewed through
agency in communication, power, and sanction. In an institutionalized social setting,
each time that an individual acts or interacts, they draw on these structures, which
may become a part of the individual’s identity and thus incorporated into their frame
of reference. A simplified way to see the connection between structures in the
institutional setting is to relate them to content within each feature described as routines
in each pillar.

Based on the previous discussion, the central concepts for the research plan are
product innovation process, frame of reference, thought, action, interaction, structure,
identity, homogeneity, and heterogeneity. These will be operationalized in relation to
the routine dimension presented in Table 14. The next section will address aspects
related to the techniques intended to capture these concepts.

7.3 HOW TO CAPTURE EVOLVING PRODUCT INNOVATION

To address the two focus questions, a number of techniques have to be used. The first
focus question describes the transition of something into a concept of a perceived
innovation. This something is a premonition or vague idea, which through time of
thought, interaction, and action evolves into a concept of perceived innovation. In
order to capture this evolving product innovation process, the techniques must
capture the transition from one state to another within the process as well as the content of
this transitional state. Since the focus lies in the process as conceptualized in thought,
interaction, and action, the intended techniques must capture these aspects. The
significant test also indicated a need to use several techniques due to the complex
relations between individual thoughts, interactions, and actions in the product
innovation process. An individual may think about some aspects of the process,
interact about other aspects, and act on another aspect. Participating individuals may
also have different thoughts, interactions, and actions due to their frames of reference,
identity, and institutional routines governing the innovation process. As such,
participants tend to use certain ways of thought, interaction, and action in the early
phase of the innovation process, which must be captured by intended techniques.

To capture the central concepts presented in the V-diagram in Figure 9, various

techniques will be used at different times throughout the early phase (Figure 11). The

77
study will begin with interviews in order to establish routines of action and interaction
governing the early phase. These concrete routines will then be used in the repertory
grid technique (RGT), social network analysis (SNA), and alter-ego network analysis
(AENA) at the beginning and at the end of the early phase. In order to determine
their way of doing (rules, routines, norms, and values), observation of meetings and
daily work will be conducted. In the subsections below, I will address each technique
and its ability to capture the central concepts of the early phase of the product
innovation processes.

Interview RGT Follow-up RGT Follow-up

SNA interview SNA interview
AENA AENA

Observation

FIGURE 11 Intended moments of information collection within the early phase

7.3.1 Interview
Interviews are a fundamental technique for capturing several of the central concepts.
First, the aim is to generate representative elements for patterns of action and
interaction in the early phases of the product innovation process. As such, the focus is
on standard operating procedures, as in descriptions of formal routines in the early
phase. Other means of obtaining this information include reviewing documents,
diaries, observations, or a literature review. By reviewing documents, several activities
of action and possibly interaction may be identified but not in detail, implying the
possibility of not includeing some activity in the repertory grid technique. Similarly, a
literature review give usually made action and interaction, in theory, but may not
reveal the action and interaction made in a particular social setting governing the early
phase under examination. Diaries or observations provide access to details and an exact
description of actions and interactions; however, this is a time-consuming effort, since
one early phase has to be performed in order to generate elements which may be used
in the next performed early phase. Therefore, interviews are most suitable for
generating elements. Interviews may be conducted in many different ways, e. g.
personal, group, structured, and unstructured (Denzin & Lincoln, 1994). In this case,
semi-structured interviews will be conducted to combine detailed descriptions while
allowing for follow-up questions. Asking the participant “what they usually do,”
which represents past experience from previous processes, will indicate routines in the
early phase of product innovation.

In relation to how an innovation process unfolds and the mechanisms governing the
early phase, interviews may provide detailed descriptions, stories, and reflections. By

78
analyzing these interviews, mechanisms may be identified by focusing on the
description of the process along with critical incidences and the causes to incidences.
Descriptions of action and interaction in the entire early phase may be collected for
use in the repertory grids, but asking about critical incidences will also give validation
of results; later techniques may indicate thoughts, interactions, or actions about
activities other than those perceived as critical.

Interviews will also be conducted with the purpose of validating and learning about
the frame of reference presented by the repertory grid technique. Through follow-up
interviews, individuals can respond to the presented patterns (cf. the course of action
made by Öhman, 2004 and Häckner et al., 1996) through e.g. nodding, expressions or
a story to the presented relation. This will allow for discussion of inconsistencies that
might be tacit or even unconscious.
7.3.2 Repertory grid
Frame of reference is a difficult concept to grasp, since it represents continuously
altering mental templates. Techniques that describe frames of reference36 must deal
with a concept often considered as tacit and even unconscious to the individual.
Frequently used techniques, all based on structured or semi-structured interviews,
include cognitive maps (Huff, 1990), self-Q interviews (Bougon et al., 1990), and the
repertory grid technique (Kelly, 1955/1991). Using cognitive maps in this case implies
a map specifying the territory of an early phase, with action in focus, through a
graphical representation of the mental relations, similarities and/or differences in the
action and interaction activities performed. When using self-Q interviews, the
individual is seen as an expert; these self-generated questions expose their tacit and
explicit knowledge as well as their construction of the early phase of product
innovation processes. The repertory grid technique may reveal individual frames of
reference based on a bipolar categorization of constructs describing meaningful
similarities and differences between elements (cf. Kelly 1955/1991). This technique,
based on structured interviews, has been used in a variety of contexts (Stewart &
Stewart, 1981) and also tested in the significant test presented in this thesis.

The use of the repertory grid technique is mainly related to the concepts of
homogeneity and heterogeneity in individual frames of reference. Because these
frames of reference must be described in the context of a product innovation process,
concrete activities of action will be used as elements in order to describe similarities
and differences among participants. These matrixes, in which participating individuals
describe similarities and differences among activities to be performed within the early
phase, are then processed using Flexigrid and Multigrid (Tschudi, 1998). These
repertory grids will highlight areas of homogeneity and heterogeneity among
participants’ frames of reference.

36
The frame of reference cannot be depicted but is partially exposed by mapping or indicating relations, which makes it
possible to discuss.

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On a practical level, this implies a need to identify actions made in the early phase of
the product innovation process. Some guidance is found in literature describing
included activities but most important is adaptation towards activities of action
characterizing the action ordinary made in early phases of a participating company.
Rules and routines or “what ought to be done” and “what are done” must be
established before investigating similarities and differences among these activities.
Rules are found through specifications in formal documents that influence the process
and through discussions with a project manager; routines may be described by
participants or established through observations. However, observations entail
following a process in advance, which makes them unsuitable due to time limitations.
Examples of activities include discussing ideas, initial screening, and developing
concepts. Representative activities will be determined after discussion with individuals
who are participating in the early phase. These activities will be used to describe
similarities and differences; each individual then generates meaningful constructs that
are processed in Flexigrid and Multigrid (Tschudi, 1998). To display a transition, at
least two occasions of investigation are necessary due to the fundamental assumption
that frames of reference evolve toward homogeneity.

The content of generated dimensions in Flexigrid and Multigrid, must be related to

identity and time of impact within the early phase. Depending on ascribed identity
and their responsibilities in the process, individuals will give different meaning and
importance to activities. This will be shown by differences in the number of
dimensions generated by Flexigrid as well as similarities in constructs used to describe
activities in the early phase. Some activities may be more central in different times,
depending on evolving frames of reference, and present focus. Thus, one must
connect activities performed in the early phase with those considered as central at that
time. Follow-up interviews allow the individual to react and comment on the
generated dimensions, related elements, and constructs. In this way, increased
understanding of each grid may be displayed and discussed in order to validate
generated dimensions. These follow-up interviews will be conducted shortly after
each repertory grid interview has been processed with pictures of generated
dimensions and transcriptions of definitions for each generated element and construct.
7.3.3 Social network analysis
Interaction is central to understanding how the early phase of the product innovation
process unfolds. One technique to collect information about patterns of interaction is
social network analysis. Other techniques include observing and structuring ongoing
interaction in terms of who and what. Similar to a cognitive map, participating
individuals may draw their relations and content concerning action within the early
phase. However, social network analysis gives the opportunity to use statistical
calculations, combining alter-ego analysis and the repertory grid technique, provided
that similar scales are used. In respect to the second focus question, the other two
techniques are preferable, since they address the content of interaction in a dynamic
way. Using social network analysis, the content will be addressed static by naming the

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same action related to the activities in the repertory grid. Nevertheless, social network
analysis will be used for its statistical use.

This technique is based on a structured interview focusing on patterns of interaction

about activities characterizing routines in the early phase. In this way, patterns of
interaction will highlight activities subject to socialization. This socialization is related
to pressure as well as the need for cohesion and thus homogeneity. Activities that are
highly interacted about will thus show an increase in homogeneity among participants
between the two occasions for social network analysis.

Using this technique, participating individuals will be asked to think about the
activities presented and to list all individuals with whom they have interacted. These
individuals may either be participating in the early phase or may be outside of the
process. Next, the respondent will grade the extent to which interaction has been
made. In the significant test, a nine-point Likert scale was used successfully, but this
scale was formulated to interaction during the past month which might require
revision depending on the time span of the early phase. Asking for interactions made
during the past month implies that the process lasts for at least two months. When a
matrix has been performed by all participating individuals, it be may addressed by a
computer program in which networks of relations are visually displayed. These visual
pictures of the relations in the process can also be combined by centrality measures
guiding central individuals and the degree of interaction performed.

For a meaningful analysis, the degree of interaction will be used in several ways. First,
it will point toward activities of social exchange, which indicates an active process of
structuration. Combining this analysis with the repertory grid technique will increase
the likelihood of finding altering grids concerning these activities between the two
occasions of structured interviews. Second, the activities interacted about indicate the
areas that the individual perceived as central at that time. This will be seen through the
frequency of interaction made about an activity. If interaction occurred, then the
individual needed to clarify in some way due to uncertainties. Activities with a high
degree of interaction show a higher degree of homogeneity among participants and
indicate important relationships among participants within and outside of the formal
group. The informal manager will become apparent through his or her large degree of
incoming interaction on the social exchange performed in the early phase. These are
important individuals since their identity has a great impact in indicating important
activities for participating individuals.
7.3.4 Alter-ego network analysis
As thought, action and interaction are three cornerstones of institutionalization and
the process of structuration, it is important to capture them all. Thought are mainly
captured by use of alter -ego network analysis. Interviews will examine individual
thought but not in the same structured way. Alter-ego network analysis captures an
individual’s thoughts about the same activities used in the repertory grids and social
network analysis. Individuals may think about an activity in the early phase, because it

81
has been performed before, which providing guiding social structures, or because it
has never been performed before, which result in a need to interact.

The alter-ego network analysis will be performed at the same time as the repertory
grid and social network analysis. Similar to social network analysis, it is based on a
matrix in which all activities are listed on one axis, and “myself” is listed on the other.
The individuals are asked to consider the degree of own thoughts and reflections
concerning each activity. This is then graded on a nine-point Likert scale ranging
from “not at all” to “daily” during the past month; as previously noted, this implies
that an early phase lasts at least two months. Both social network analysis and alter-ego
network analysis would benefit from a reduction in time span, due to problems in
recalling what he or she was thinking about one month ago. On the other hand, this
would also reduce the possibility to see changes in the repertory grids. Thus, the
choice of time span must be closely considered and applied after the product
innovation process, since the early phase may vary in length and size.

The alter-ego network analysis must be related to which activities are given thought
and which are not. This is especially interesting when combined with the other
techniques used. If an activity is not given any thought and/or interaction but is
considered central in the repertory grids for the early phase of the product innovation
process, this indicates problems within social structures such as norms, allowing
exchange or a need to correct routines.
7.3.5 Observation
One way to obtain a deeper understanding of how an early phase unfolds from an idea
into a concept is by participation in the making. Both active37 and passive38
observation gives the opportunity to reflect about ways of acting and interacting in the
process. An advantage for passive observation is the ability to observe and reflect
during and after each encounter. When observing actively, it is difficult to both
participate and reflect on what is really happening. This requires excellent field notes,
memory, and/or recordings as well as instant reproduction of each social encounter to
note each detail. Another disadvantage is the unknown effect of the researcher’s action
and interaction, which might influence how the early phase unfolds. It may be
questioned if action and interaction as well as identified mechanisms result from the
researcher’s active participation or unfold naturally during the process. Preferably, I
will take a more passive position in the innovation process. However, I will discuss or
answer questions if addressed, since trust is a fundamental to this study. If I do not
participate in the social arena , then trust will not develop, which may skew results by
answering in a way that they think they should (cf. espoused theory) and not in
respect to what they really do (cf. theories-in-use; Argyris & Schön, 1978).

When conducting observations, it is important to have a clear perception of what to

observe. Otherwise, this may create the problem of what is essential within the early
37
Active observation refers to observing while participating through action or interaction in the process.
38
Passive observation refers to observing without taking part in action or interaction.

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phase (cf. Bell, 1995). If relating this to the two focus questions, it implies a focus on
concrete action and interaction made and the content of this action and interaction.
Focusing on action per se will account for what is really done in the early phase, i. e.
how the idea is transformed into a concept through action and interaction. By
focusing on the content of “what is really done,” it is possible to find cause and effect
relations between thought, action, interaction, and frames of reference. To make this
even more concrete, the focus is on routines as the institutional carrier, which will
naturally guide observations toward patterns of action and interaction assigned to the
regulative, normative, and cultural-cognitive pillars. In the regulative pillar, Scott
(2001) emphasizes protocols and standard operating procedures. As a result,
observations will focus on actions in relation to what participating individuals in the
interview describe as actions that are usually performed in the early phase. In respect
to the normative pillar, observation will focus on identity. Focusing discrepancies in
identity based on explicit and observed will add to causes and effects of action and
interaction. In the cognitive dimensions, we will focus on moments of “oh.” This is
to say that these moments imply new connections in an individual’s frames of
reference.

In order to perform these observations, some degree of structure will facilitate both
what to look for and how to register during the ongoing process. Bell (1995) discusses
several ways of performing structured observations and registration through
arrangement, tables, and diagrams. Since the observations should focus on routines in
terms of content, a table would make it possible to note participants, subjects, and
different categories of content. As such, a structured journal and notes will be made in
order to account for the unfolding early phase of product innovation processes.
7.3.6 Interconnectedness of used techniques
All of these techniques shed light on closely related yet distinct aspects of social
processes of innovation. An idea may evolve in an individual’s frame of reference and
then be presented to significant others through interaction or action; through unified
action and interaction, this idea eventually evolves into a concept. Each technique
focuses on one or more concepts presented in the V-diagram (Figure 9). Nevertheless,
additional meanings are given when combining these techniques and concepts in
analysis. For example, identity (obtained through the interviews) is connected to
ascribing certain activities of action as important (repertory grid technique). To
develop the idea, one may start by thinking or reflecting (alter-ego network analysis)
on what needs to be done (interviews), guided by frame of reference (repertory grid
technique). To spread the view of what needs to be done, the individual interacts with
significant others (social network analysis) or starts to act (observation). Through this
social interplay, the idea unfolds into a concept.

7.4 METHODOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS IN THE RESEARCH PLAN

This thesis focuses on innovation processes, specifically the early phase of the product
innovation process. This is seen as a small and delimited part of organizations’ daily
and ongoing social processes of action and interaction. Furthermore, these processes
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involve a constant, ongoing structure of action and interaction among individuals
taking part in the social context of innovation within the organization. Thus, I will
focus on individuals taking part in this social process of innovation.

Returning again to the focus questions, innovation is viewed as a phenomenon that

evolves over time. It is thus essential to clarify how to account for differences in time.
Often, a discrepancy between the starting point and the end of a process is assumed.
However, with a perspective based on structuration, this does not have to be the case.
If no unintended consequences occur, then all structures will be reproduced, which
will indicate no differences in frames of reference. Nevertheless, there will be action
and interaction throughout the entire process.

In order to capture the unfolding process in the early phase, the process will be
observed and information will be collected at two points in time. When performing
observations, the focus will be on project meetings and not real-time observation of
the action and interaction made by each individual. One alternative would be to
collect information at the beginning and at the end, which gives the opportunity to
observe differences. However, such course of action does not give insight into how
and why the differences occur without a chronological view of time. One could say
that it is embedded in the very nature of an unfolding process with a view based on
chronology. The second focus question focuses on content in the early phase
(mechanisms influencing the early phase). In order to visualize cause and effect
relations (mechanisms), it is important to display these mechanisms chronologically.
7.4.1 A perspective of social processes of product innovation processes
When performing this future study, it is possible to choose one perspective or to
highlight several perspectives. This can be achieved by focusing on the individuals
taking part in the process, by differentiating between organizational levels, or by
comparing companies. Related to the perspective governing this study, it has focus on
the individual. This is to say, structures do not exists by themselves (cf. Giddens, 1979)
but within the individual as a carrier of the structures governing the early phase of
product innovation processes. In the same way, the cause-effect relations (mechanisms)
influencing the social situation of early phases originate in the participating individuals.
However, discussions will be made concerning both individual and group analysis in
order to address homogeneity, heterogeneity, and patterns of shared action and
interaction. Nevertheless, I will maintain the focus on the individual.

Another area in need of clarification is the distinction between structure and process.
This thesis focuses on process by addressing how an idea transforms into a concept.
The dynamic product innovation process involves constant thought, action, and
interaction among individuals. Within this process, the aforementioned techniques
will reveal structures through patterns in the individual’s descriptions, frames of
reference, and ways of actions and interactions. Thus, structure refers to the parts
constructing the early phase of the process, which is differentiated from structures in
Giddens’s (1979) structuration theory. The repertory grid technique will reveal

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structures that make it possible to discuss the content of an individual’s frame of
reference. Similarly, the social- and alter-ego network analysis will focus on structures
by showing patterns of interaction and thought of content. Combining these
techniques will indicate patterns in structures as in unfolding patterns when an idea
transforms into a concept.
7.4.2 Problems when studying social processes of product innovation processes
A study focused on individuals taking part in an early phase of product innovation
demands access, trustworthiness, authenticity, time, and closeness. Access is a
fundamental prerequisite for studying any evolving process. In this case, access may be
difficult to achieve, since extensive use of techniques requires time with each
individual participating in the process. This problem is twofold, since both the
organization and participating individuals must approve of their involvement in this
study. The significant test indicated that this as a potentially large problem, as all
individuals are preferred to participate. However, the significant test was performed in
the context of a project within the university, which is characterized by a large degree
of self-determination. When using intended techniques within a company context,
this self-determination decreases but is still dependent on the willingness of all
individuals to participate. Consequently, each individual needs to assign time and
space since them being closely involved and exposed throughout the study. Forced
participation due to compliance rather than willingness will affect the results
trustworthiness. A potential problem related to trustworthiness is related to
interpretation when combining the analysis from each used technique, which will be
based on perception and thus founded in the frame of reference of all individuals
analyzing the collected information. Nevertheless, a carefully prepared and well carried
out study will warrant trustworthiness in the process, which gives high authenticity.

These techniques depend on individuals’ memory. For example, the significant test
was based on individuals’ memory of their interactions and reflection on activities
performed over the past month. This is also related to the degree of activity conducted
in the early phase of the product innovation process. If many activities have been
conducted, it may be more difficult for an individual to remember specific details of
each relation and reflection.

The need for a neutral researcher is especially important when using the repertory
grid, since even small recognition by expressing approval through nodding, sounds
etc. will guide the individual toward the “right way” of thinking. As such, the
repertory grid may give a skewed description of participating individuals’ frames of
reference by affecting the process in which constructs are generated. However, some
degree of involvement is needed since it gives the possibility for clarity of constructs in
terms of ascribed meaning and need for separation of constructs.
7.4.3 Selecting a product innovation processes
When performing this study, it is important to find an organization that fulfills several
criteria. First, the organization must fit the criteria of a product innovation process.
The focus of this study on the early phase of the process implies them having some
85
sort of formalized way of addressing this phase in order to find and recive access. If the
organization does not have any formalized way of collecting ideas into the formal
structures of decision-making, then it will be impossible to find an beginning early
phase. This creates a problem, since it is preferable to begin this study as close to the
formulation of the idea as possible. If the idea is expressed and discussed among
individuals before intercepted into the formal structures of decision-making, which
makes it easyer to find, but then the process does not include the entire early phase.
There are several possibilities when selecting a product innovation process. Contacts
can be made in advance with a company where participation is granted, or only part
of the early phase will be retrospectively captured. Choosing the latter implies an
inability to observe the actions and interactions made during that time and a reliance
on individuals’ memory, which may result in conflicting descriptions of how the idea
evolved. Another alternative is to choose an organization without knowing if an early
phase of a product innovation process will start within a near future; this risk is
reduced if innovations are seen as a constant part of survival within the organization.

The discussion of real time vs. retrospective information collection is based on an

assumption of experience in performing early phases of product innovation processes.
If the organization has performed previous innovation processes, then it has already
produced structures governing this situation. At least one innovation process must be
carried out by participating individuals in order to reproduce the structures of the
previous process. As a result, it is likely that the organization will be rather large, thus
reproducing this type of work and reproduced channels for decision-making. In
contrast, a smaller organization will be guided by and closely connected to the
founder’s ways of action and interaction; it is possible that no assigned process exists
but rather performed by the founder as only participant.

Intensity, time span, scope, and number of participants must also be considered.
Intensity is related to the minimum degree of action and interaction among
participating individuals. If the process is based on work among solitary individuals,
where the innovation represents a summarized collection of each individual’s action,
then it is not a meaningful context for this study. Project meetings, discussions and/or
collaborative action are required. The process must be span enough time to reflect,
perform action, and interact in order to cause changes in individuals’ frames of
reference; however, the time span cannot be too extensive due to limitations for this
study.

The scope of the innovation process may range from small, simple products to large,
complex products. The scope is also connected to the number of participating
individuals. Since it is preferable that all individuals involved in the early phase take
part in this study, the scope cannot be to large due to time constraints. On the other
hand, if the scope is too small, then there would not be a need for interaction.
Similarly, if the scope of the innovation process is too large and complex, then it is
possible that the product development is divided into different units of responsibility.
For example may the development of an aircraft be divided into separate parts like the

86
body, wings, engines, electronics etc. all performing early phases of innovation within
a larger product innovation process. Consequently, adding complexity by
interconnectedness in the different early phases.

7.5 TENTATIVE IMPLICATIONS FROM KNOWLEDGE OF EARLY PHASES

Based on the significant test, the initial purpose of addressing product innovation
processes is to obtain knowledge about the early phase of the process. A literature
review about the early phase39 was conducted, which indicated a gap in knowledge
about how the early phase of innovation unfolds. Gaining this knowledge will identify
mechanisms influencing the process, which suggests a first step for how managers may
control the process. Such information can lead to more effective innovation processes,
which could save time, cost, and improve quality.

This study will describe how an idea unfolds into a concept, revealing who is involved
as well as what occurs in this phase and why. I will follow the journey of thought,
action, and interaction from a single individual to the social processes of action and
interaction, producing or reproducing institutional routines. Cause and effect
mechanisms will also be determined, which influence how an idea unfolds into a
concept within the product innovation process.

Second, tentative knowledge from this study will provide insight into routines and
emphasize certain content in action and interaction that may promote innovativeness.
This will be achieved by focusing on perceived effects of participating individuals’
thoughts, actions, and interactions, where routines in terms of reproduced patterns of
action and interaction have a content that the participants perceive as adding energy to
the product innovation process.

The third tentative knowledge possible to obtain by performing this research in full-
scale would be the relationship between the identity ascribed by each individual and
their focus in thought, action, and interaction, i. e. the likelihood that ascribed
identity makes it more plausible to consider certain activities as more important.

Although many would argue that the product innovation process is a dynamic,
iterative, and chaotic journey from idea to concept, this is not necessarily the case.
The innovation process could be well-planned with reproduced routines, which
implies that individuals engage in a process where action and interaction resemble
sequential thinking due to the institutional content, even though the process may
appears as chaotic by individuals not participating.
7.5.1 Concluding remarks
The purpose presented in this thesis, is focused on (1) developing a model (2)
formulating a research plan for the significant test, (3) make the significant test, and (4)
develop a research plan for a full scaled empirical test. The first purpose where
39
The term used in the search was “fuzzy front end.”

87
addressed in chapter 3 and especially in the last section (3.6.1) in which the social and
cognitive process of product innovation are discussed and illustrated. The second
purpose are addressed in chapter 4, where guidelines was addressed to make the
significant test. This significant test is then presented and analyzed in chapter 5 and 6,
which is in line with the third purpose. In this last chapter 7, a research plan is
formulated for a full-scale empirical study of the early phase of product innovation
processes. This research plan incorporates all concepts in the conceptual model as well
as lessons from the significant test.

Knowledge about the early phase of the product innovation process (in particular, the
social mechanisms influencing thought, action, and interaction) may provide a tool for
management to understand the causes and effects in this process. Thus, this research
may allow management to take control of a negative spiral and constitute new patterns
of thought, action, and interaction that enforce their innovative capacity.

88
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APPENDIX 1: Kelly’s fundamental postulate and corollaries

Kelly's (1955/1991) fundamental postulate states that “a person’s processes are

psychologically channelized by the ways in which he anticipates events.” Based on
this fundamental postulate, Kelly makes several propositions (corollaries) that elaborate
the postulate in greater detail:
¾ The construction corollary states that a person anticipates events by
constructing events.
¾ The individual corollary states that persons differ from each other in their
constructions of events.
¾ The organization corollary states that each person characteristically
evolves, for his convenience in anticipating events, a construction
system embracing ordinal relationships between constructs.
¾ The dichotomy corollary states that a person’s construction system is
composed of a finite number of dichotomous constructs.
¾ The choice corollary states that a person chooses for himself that
alternative in a dichotomized construct through which he anticipates
the greater possibility for extension and definition of his system.
¾ The range corollary states that a construct is convenient only for the
anticipation of a finite range of events.
¾ The experience corollary states that a person’s construction system varies as
he or she successively construes the replication of events.
¾ The modulation corollary states that the variation in a person’s
construction system is limited by the permeability of the constructs
within whose ranges of convenience the variants lie.
¾ The fragmentation corollary states that a person may successively employ a
variety of construction subsystems that are inferentially incompatible
with each other.
¾ The commonality corollary states that the extent to which one person
employs a construction of experience is similar to that employed by
another (his or her psychological processes are similar to those of the
other person).
¾ The social corollary states that the extent to which one person construes
the construction processes of another may play a role in a social process
involving the other person.
APPENDIX 2: Reduced elements used

This shows the initial 39 elements, which where scaled down to the 22 used when
conducting the repertory grid technique, social network analysis and alter-ego
network analysis.

Initially considered elements scaled down to Used elements

Generate ideas User feedback
Identify market Get support from management/financier
Identify technical opportunity Generate ideas
Evaluate ideas Identify perspectives of others
Identify user needs Identify suitable technology
Identify suppliers needs Identify opportunities
Perspectives within the team Plan/adapt for manufacturing
Write product specification for user Plan project
Write product specification for the company Programming
Plan project Simulating
Evaluate suitable technologies Write product specification
Develop concept Final tests on users
Promote to management Product release
Develop project business plans User studies
Supervise cost specifications Test technology/design
Supervise time specifications Elaborate distribution
Supervise design specifications Elaborate support
Choose technology Educate employees
Develop technology Develop business plan for the innovation
Perform tests on technology Develop concept
Perform tests on design Choose algorithm
Plan for manufacturing Supervise time, cost, and design
Make drawings
Order material
Adapt factory
Develop factory
Develop tools
Educate salespersons
Educate distributors
Evaluate
Conduct technical test of model
Conduct user test of model
Test market
Price testing
Develop manual
Feedback from users
Marketing the product
Support
Product release
APPENDIX 3: Guidelines for the structured interview

Introduction text:

1. During this interview, I want you to think about the DTN-project as a whole.
2. Review all of the activities listed in the matrix. Do they seem representative of an innovative
process like the DTN-project?
3. Is there any other element that you think should be included?
4. Is there any element that you think should be excluded?

5. What do elements 1 and 2 have in common that differentiates them from the third element?

6. Please explain what you mean by the construct.

7. What do elements 2 and 3 have in common that differentiates them from the fourth element?

8. I would like you to include the following constructs in the matrix:

Easy to handle – Difficult to handle

Requires a small amount of effort – Requires a large amount of effort
Least critical for process success – Most critical for process success
Least critical for product success – Most critical for process success
Application of previous knowledge – Requires new ways of thinking

9. Now relate each element to the constructs by grading each construct on a nine-point scale.
10. First grade the element most closely related to number one on the scale (in other words, the
pole construct).
11. Next, grade the element most closely related to number nine on the scale (in other words,
the contrast construct)
12. Now grade the remaining elements in relation to elements graded as number one and nine.

13. The scale is based on five steps to which each element is related. If you think that the
element cannot be graded as clearly related to one of them, then you can use the number
between the grades.
14. It is possible to place several number ones, nines, and fives and so on, if you cannot separate
them.
15. Zero indicates an element that is not meaningful or that cannot be related to the constructs.
Split constructs?
 Constructs

Name:
14.
13.
12.
11.
10.
9.
8.
7.
6.
5.
4.
3.
2.
1.

Low scores
1
User feedback

Get support from

management/financier

Generate ideas

Identify perspectives of
others

Identify suitable technology

Identify opportunities

Plan/adapt for
manufacturing

Plan project

Programming

Simulating

Write product specification

Finishing tests on users

ELEMENT
Product release

User studies

Test technology/design

Elaborate distribution

Elaborate support

Educate employees

Develop business plan for

the innovation

Develop concept

Choose algorithm

Supervise time, cost and

design
14.
13.
12.
11.
10.
9.
8.
7.
6.
5.
4.
3.
2.
1.

High scores
9
 0 = Cannot relate /Is not meaningful for this element
1 3 5 7 9
Clearly related to Leaning against Neutral Leaning against Clearly related to
Definitions of elements:
User feedback.................................. Is defined as all thought or action related to feedback from user and internal dissemination of this
information.
Get support from ............................ Is defined as all thought or action related to get authority in the form of approval and/or resources in
management/financier the form of time, money or personnel to the project.
Generate ideas................................. Is defined as all thought or action related to the initial idea creation for the project independent whether it is
done separate or through collective creation and refining of the initial idea.
Identify perspectives of others........... Is defined as all thought or action related to the identification of perspectives of others concerning the
innovation internally in the group and external individuals not considered as user, for example suppliers,
salespersons, material technicians etc.
Identify suitable technology .............. Is defined as all thought or action related to the search and evaluation of suitable technologies through for
example benchmarking, related technologies, need evaluation and valuation or ranking of identified
technologies.
Identify possibilities ......................... Is defined as all thought or action related to internal or external activities intended to identify technical or
market opportunities in relation to the company’s field of knowledge.
Plan/adapt for manufacturing........... Is defined as all thought or action related to planning and adaptation of machines and internal processes for
production of the innovation.
Plan project .................................... Is defined as all thought or action related to ascribing resources as time, money and accessible personnel.
Other activities might be to ascribe rolles, settle goals, make budgets, plan time for milestones and revision of
present plans.
Programming.................................. Is defined as all thought or action related to identifying, planning, realizing and developing the programming.
Simulating ...................................... Is defined as all thought or action related to planning, realizing and analysing simulations made with the
intent to improve the innovation.
Write product specification............... Is defined as all thought or action related to establish, decide and write down the product specification for the
innovation concerning needs, design, usability, market demands and company demands.
User studies..................................... Is defined as all thought or action related to activities where participants in the project studies potential users
of the innovation in order to further develop the initial idea or concept.
Finishing tests on users..................... Is defined as all thought or action related to external verification of chosen technology and design.
Release the product ......................... Is defined as all thought or action related to plan and work out the release in detail as in media contacts,
marketing etc.
Test technology/design .................... Is defined as all thought or action related to internal testing of technology and design in real life situations.
Elaborate distribution ...................... Is defined as all thought or action related to the identification, development, choice and execution of suitable
channels for distribution.
Elaborate support...................................Is defined as all thought or action related to development and refining support functions for the innovation.
Educate employees .......................... Is defined as all thought or action related to give employees sufficient knowledge for development,
manufacturing and selling of the innovation.
Develop business plan ...................... Is defined as all thought or action related to the development of business plans for the proposed innovation.
for the innovation
Develop concept ............................. Is defined as all thought or action related to generate, develop, evaluate and choose concept for further
development.
Choose algorithm ............................ Is defined as all thought or action related to find, develop and choose a suitable algorithm.
Supervise time, cost and design ........ Is defined as all thought or action related to secure the project in relation to time plans, limits in expenditure
and product specifications.
Definitions of constructs:
Easy to handle............................ Is defined as the degree of complexity to handle and/or carry through ........................... Difficult to handle
Requires a small amount ............. Is defined as the degree of work effort to handle and/or carry through ................ Requires a large amount
of work effort of work effort
Least critical for ........................ Is defined as the degree of importance for a successful process realization.............................. Most critical for
process success process success
Least critical for ....................... Is defined as the degree of importance for a successful product realization ............................. Most critical for
product success process success
Application of previous ........................ Is defined as the degree of innovativeness in the process .....................................Requires new ways
knowledge of thinking
APPENDIX 4: Data generated based on the repertory grid technique
(Rotated results)
Data transformation: 1 ): Correlate (standardize CONSTRUCTS): MOST COMMON
a) Maximal nr. of components = 4
b) Minimum relative variance of a component (1 recommended by Kaiser) 0
if b) gives K components then nr. of components will be: M = MIN( 4 ,K)
Maximal nr. of components for VARIMAX = 4
Minimum, mean, maximum and standard deviation of each variable
CONTRAST / POLE (9) VBL. MIN. MEAN MAX. STD.DEV. % OF TOTAL VAR.
Create arg within f o ap / Create free thoughts 1 1 4.91 9 1.65 5.40
Financial aspects / Technology driven 2 1 4.91 9 1.93 7.39
Filtering of idea / Unlimited opportunities 3 1 4.59 9 2.04 8.24
Increasing freedom of ac / Limiting freedom of act 4 1 4.91 9 1.65 5.40
Being controlled/influenc / In control 5 1 4.95 9 1.74 6.04
Work witho know if right / May f probl giv ext rew 6 1 5.91 9 1.73 5.94
Opportu affect prod spec / Can no longer affect 7 1 4.55 9 1.59 5.01
Develops business / Chose track 8 1 5.05 9 1.82 6.59
Creating phase / Constraining budget 9 1 4.73 9 1.60 5.09
Easy to handle / Difficult to handle 10 1 4.68 9 1.72 5.85
Require small am work ef / Require large am work ef 11 1 3.95 9 2.18 9.47
Least crit f proc succes / Most crit f proc succes 12 1 4.77 9 2.50 12.45
Least crit f prod succes / Most crit f prod succes 13 1 5.73 9 2.11 8.88
Appl previous knowledge / Require new w o thinking 14 1 4.50 9 2.04 8.26
Total mean 4.87 Mean var. 3.60
Correlation table, showing the relationships between all the variables
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
1 1.00
2 0.45 1.00
3 0.48 0.35 1.00
4 0.13 0.05 -0.16 1.00
5 -0.06 -0.08 0.22 -0.76 1.00
6 -0.54 0.16 -0.46 0.04 -0.21 1.00
7 0.09 -0.24 -0.04 0.49 -0.14 -0.13 1.00
8 0.06 -0.05 -0.36 0.65 -0.53 0.22 0.12 1.00
9 -0.42 -0.42 -0.59 0.56 -0.20 0.27 0.33 0.61 1.00
10 -0.11 -0.23 0.07 0.05 0.03 -0.18 -0.02 0.05 0.07 1.00
11 0.35 0.53 0.57 -0.08 0.20 -0.33 -0.10 -0.34 -0.42 -0.11 1.00
12 0.17 0.58 0.62 -0.21 0.27 -0.04 -0.07 -0.43 -0.46 0.03 0.81 1.00
13 0.12 0.44 0.48 0.06 0.03 -0.02 0.10 -0.15 -0.29 0.45 0.50 0.78 1.00
14 -0.04 0.02 0.59 -0.35 0.47 -0.43 0.18 -0.50 -0.42 0.34 0.33 0.49 0.48 1.00
M(Abs) 0.23 0.28 0.38 0.28 0.25 0.23 0.16 0.31 0.39 0.13 0.36 0.38 0.30 0.36
Intensity (root mean square) 0.36 Mean absolute value 0.29
Component Root %VAR Cum% Scree plot for dtn1eng
1 4.811 34.364 34.364 4.811 Ã *
2 2.417 17.264 51.628 ³
3 1.861 13.296 64.923 ³
4 1.598 11.413 76.336 ³
5 1.046 7.474 83.810 ³
6 0.673 4.806 88.616 ³
7 0.527 3.765 92.381 R ³
8 0.406 2.900 95.281 O ³
9 0.270 1.925 97.207 O ³
10 0.210 1.503 98.709 T ³
11 0.112 0.798 99.507 2.417 Ã *
12 0.055 0.394 99.901 S ³
13 0.011 0.077 99.978 I 1.861 Ã *
14 0.003 0.022 100.000 Z 1.598 Ã *
E ³
³
1.046 ÃÄÄÄÄÄ *
0.673 Ã *
0.527 Ã * *
0.270 Ã * * * * * *
ÀÄÄÄÄÁÄÄÄÄÁÄÄÄÄÁÄÄÄÄÁÄÄÄÄÁÄÄÄÄÁÄÄÄÄÁÄÄÄÄÁÄÄÄÄÁÄÄÄÄÁÄÄÄÄÁÄÄÄÄÁÄÄÄÄÁÄÄÄÄÁ
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
Variance of transformed data= 1.00 Variance of derived data= 0.76 Correlation transformed, derived 0.87
Principal components
CONTRAST - /POLE + VBL. 1 2 3 4 DIST. VAR-R %ACC.
Create arg within f o ap /Create free thoughts 1 0.381 0.510 -0.118 -0.652 0.919 1.000 84.517
Financial aspects /Technology driven 2 0.490 0.517 -0.545 0.169 0.913 1.000 83.376
Filtering of idea /Unlimited opportunities 3 0.806 0.206 0.126 -0.191 0.863 1.000 74.490
Increasing freedom of ac /Limiting freedom of act 4 -0.473 0.807 0.238 -0.000 0.965 1.000 93.145
Being controlled/influenc /In control 5 0.473 -0.659 0.083 -0.028 0.816 1.000 66.592
Work witho know if right /May f probl giv ext rew 6 -0.406 -0.029 -0.452 0.707 0.933 1.000 87.028
Opportu affect prod spec /Can no longer affect 7 -0.167 0.322 0.586 -0.128 0.700 1.000 49.041
Develops business /Chose track 8 -0.649 0.521 0.034 0.018 0.833 1.000 69.392
Creating phase /Constraining budget 9 -0.767 0.117 0.281 0.203 0.850 1.000 72.247
Easy to handle /Difficult to handle 10 0.087 -0.013 0.669 0.317 0.746 1.000 55.584
Require small am work ef /Require large am work ef 11 0.755 0.322 -0.138 0.025 0.833 1.000 69.369
Least crit f proc succes /Most crit f proc succes 12 0.832 0.242 -0.077 0.391 0.954 1.000 90.925
Least crit f prod succes /Most crit f prod succes 13 0.616 0.406 0.278 0.534 0.952 1.000 90.698
Appl previous knowledge /Require new w o thinking 14 0.690 -0.209 0.542 0.095 0.907 1.000 82.302
SS 4.811 2.417 1.861 1.598 10.687
%VARIANCE 34.364 17.264 13.296 11.413 76.336
Factor scores
VBL. 1 2 3 4 DIST-N * DIST. VAR-R %ACC.
A User Feedback 1 -0.650 -0.502 -1.942 -0.593 2.190 * 0.855 1.032 70.784
B G suppor f man/fin 2 -0.279 -3.494 0.265 0.318 3.530 * 1.468 2.327 92.608
C Generate ideas 3 2.229 1.140 0.204 -1.982 3.200 * 1.544 2.484 96.050
D Ident persp of oth 4 -0.570 0.618 -0.438 0.668 1.160 * 0.504 0.823 30.860
E Ident suitab techn 5 0.619 0.829 -0.411 1.269 1.688 * 0.676 0.762 59.908
F Ident opportun 6 1.830 -0.167 -0.148 -2.154 2.835 * 1.299 1.784 94.644
G Plan/adapt f manuf 7 -1.233 0.162 0.663 0.286 1.439 * 0.771 1.215 48.981
H Plan project 8 -0.549 -1.339 -0.127 -0.697 1.611 * 0.686 0.697 67.534
I Programming 9 -0.041 -0.029 -0.580 -0.481 0.755 * 0.268 0.175 41.134
J Simulating 10 0.550 0.764 -0.332 1.065 1.460 * 0.591 0.603 57.783
K Write prod spec 11 -0.265 -0.067 -0.487 -0.241 0.608 * 0.251 0.589 10.708
L Final tests o user 12 -0.512 0.093 -1.001 -0.005 1.129 * 0.474 0.384 58.516
M Product release 13 -1.087 1.321 2.667 0.203 3.175 * 1.287 1.787 92.781
N User studies 14 -0.451 0.053 -1.027 0.288 1.159 * 0.469 0.519 42.349
O Test techn/design 15 0.491 0.844 -1.515 1.875 2.601 * 0.955 1.047 87.126
P Elaborate distrib 16 -0.181 -0.242 1.293 -0.089 1.331 * 0.495 0.355 68.998
Q Elaborate support 17 -0.353 -0.325 0.548 -0.523 0.897 * 0.364 0.158 83.592
R Educate employees 18 -0.218 -0.173 0.429 -0.527 0.735 * 0.279 0.139 55.726
S Devel busin plan 19 1.113 -0.595 1.632 1.175 2.374 * 0.999 1.153 86.571
T Develop concept 20 1.221 -0.347 0.534 1.081 1.751 * 0.839 0.867 81.271
U Choose algorithm 21 0.594 0.211 -0.134 0.465 0.794 * 0.395 0.368 42.408
V Supervise T C & D 22 -2.259 1.246 -0.093 -1.402 2.937 * 1.499 2.732 82.229
Mean(SS) 1.000 1.000 1.000 1.000 4.000
Transformation matrix
1 2 3 4
1 0.741 -0.550 0.134 -0.360
2 0.504 0.830 -0.022 -0.239
3 -0.230 0.089 0.933 -0.263
4 0.379 0.028 0.334 0.863
VARIMAX rotated components
CONTRAST - / POLE + VBL. 1 2 3 4 DIST.
Create arg within f o ap / Create free thoughts 1 0.320 0.185 -0.289 -0.791 0.919
Financial aspects / Technology driven 2 0.813 0.116 -0.398 -0.011 0.913
Filtering of idea / Unlimited opportunities 3 0.600 -0.266 0.157 -0.538 0.863
Increasing freedom of ac / Limiting freedom of act 4 0.001 0.951 0.140 -0.086 0.965
Being controlled/influenc / In control 5 -0.011 -0.801 0.146 -0.059 0.816
Work witho know if right / May f probl giv ext rew 6 0.057 0.179 -0.239 0.882 0.933
Opportu affect prod spec / Can no longer affect 7 -0.145 0.407 0.474 -0.281 0.700
Develops business / Chose track 8 -0.220 0.793 -0.061 0.116 0.833
Creating phase / Constraining budget 9 -0.498 0.550 0.224 0.349 0.850
Easy to handle / Difficult to handle 10 0.024 0.009 0.742 0.070 0.746
Require small am work ef / Require large am work ef 11 0.763 -0.160 -0.026 -0.291 0.833
Least crit f proc succes / Most crit f proc succes 12 0.904 -0.253 0.165 -0.000 0.954
Least crit f prod succes / Most crit f prod succes 13 0.800 0.037 0.511 0.068 0.952
Appl previous knowledge / Require new w o thinking 14 0.317 -0.502 0.635 -0.259 0.907
SS 3.586 3.137 1.885 2.079 10.687
%VARIANCE 25.615 22.404 13.465 14.852 76.336
Rotated factor scores
VBL. 1 2 3 4 DIST.
A User Feedback 1 -0.513 -0.249 -2.085 0.354 2.190
B G suppor f man/fin 2 -1.907 -2.714 0.395 1.141 3.530
C Generate ideas 3 1.429 -0.317 -0.200 -2.839 3.200
D Ident persp of oth 4 0.243 0.806 -0.275 0.749 1.160
E Ident suitab techn 5 1.452 0.345 0.105 0.782 1.688
F Ident opportun 6 0.491 -1.218 -0.609 -2.438 2.835
G Plan/adapt f manuf 7 -0.877 0.880 0.546 0.478 1.439
H Plan project 8 -1.316 -0.840 -0.395 -0.050 1.611
I Programming 9 -0.094 -0.067 -0.706 -0.241 0.755
J Simulating 10 1.272 0.332 0.103 0.625 1.460
K Write prod spec 11 -0.210 0.040 -0.568 0.032 0.608
L Final tests o user 12 -0.104 0.270 -1.006 0.422 1.129
M Product release 13 -0.677 1.938 2.380 -0.451 3.175
N User studies 14 0.038 0.208 -0.923 0.668 1.159
O Test techn/design 15 1.849 0.347 -0.740 1.638 2.601
P Elaborate distrib 16 -0.588 0.012 1.157 -0.294 1.331
Q Elaborate support 17 -0.750 -0.042 0.296 -0.391 0.897
R Educate employees 18 -0.547 0.000 0.199 -0.448 0.735
S Devel busin plan 19 0.596 -0.928 2.077 0.325 2.374
T Develop concept 20 1.018 -0.882 1.031 0.435 1.751
U Choose algorithm 21 0.753 -0.151 0.105 0.172 0.794
V Supervise T C & D 22 -1.557 2.229 -0.886 -0.670 2.937
Mean(SS) 1.000 1.000 1.000 1.000 4.000
APPENDIX 5: Guidelines for the structured interview
THE DEGREE OF COMMUNICATION AND REFLECTION
This section aims to inquire about the degree of communication and reflection concerning certain aspects of the innovation process. It contains 3 parts with part
1 aiming to map the degree you discussed the different aspects concerning the DTN-project. You will also value how much these conversations affected your
view of the aspect and how it affected your work. Part 2 aims to map how much you reflected upon different aspects concerning the DTN-project and how you
value the effect of the reflections upon your view on the aspect and your work. In part 3 you will find content definitions of each aspect used in parts 1 and 2.
PART 1 – The degree of communication
Look back at the past month in the DTN-project. (1) Which individuals have you contacted the past month concerning aspects in the process; such as to generate
ideas, identify opportunities, etc.? It may be individuals within the project group, family or friends, other employees within the university/company, employees
in other companies, etc. (2) How often have you contacted these individuals concerning aspects in the process the past month? (3) When you reflect on the
conversations, how do you value this contact/these contacts concerning each aspect discussed? Please notice that I would like you to render your personal
understanding/memory and not what you might think someone else believes or thinks.
The amount of contacts during the past month concerning the aspect:
1 3 5 7 9
I have never contacted this I have contacted this I have contacted this I have contacted this I have contacted this
individual during the past individual occasionally the individual several times the individual several times per individual daily the past
month. past month. past month. week the last month. month.
My valuation of the contacts effects on my view the past month concerning the aspect:
1 3 5 7 9
The discussion/discussions The discussion/discussions The discussion/discussions The discussion/discussions The discussion/discussions
did not affect my view on had a small affect upon my had some affect upon my had large affect upon my had very large affect upon
the aspect. view on the aspect. view on the aspect. view on the aspect. my view on the aspect.
My valuation of the contacts effect on my work the past month concerning the aspect:
1 3 5 7 9
The discussion/discussions The discussion/discussions The discussion/discussions The discussion/discussions The discussion/discussions
did not affect my work had a small affect upon my had some affect upon my had large affect upon my had very large affect upon
upon the aspect. work on the aspect. work on the aspect. work on the aspect. my work on the aspect.
Name:
Arne C4-DTN
Individuals I have contacted concerning…
(Name & occupation X on the company Y)
I have the past month contacted…
BnearIT
I regard that my view…
I regard that my work…
Bottenvikens I have the past month contacted…
stuveri I regard that my view…
I regard that my work…
I have the past month contacted…
SSAB
I regard that my view…
I regard that my work…
I have the past month contacted…
Volvo
I regard that my view…
I regard that my work…
I have the past month contacted…
TietoEnator
I regard that my view…
I regard that my work…
I have the past month contacted…
LUT
I regard that my view…
I regard that my work…
Activities I have discussed with the considered individual:
management/financier
Develop business plan
Identify opportunities
Elaborate distribution
Identify perspectives
Supervise time, cost
Educate employees
technology/design
Final tests on users
for the innovation
Choose algorithm
Elaborate support
Get support from
Develop concept
Identify suitable
Product release
Generate ideas
manufacturing
Plan/adept for
Write product
User feedback
Programming
specification
Plan project
User studies
technology
Simulating
and design
of others
Test
1 1 2 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
1 2
1 1
2 3
3 3
3 3
2 3
2 2
2 2
2 2
1 1
1 1
2 2
1 1
1 1
5 5 2 4
1 4 3 3
6 6 5 7
PART 2 – The degree of reflection
Look back on the past month in the DTN-project. (1) How often during the past month have you thought or reflected upon aspects within the process,
such as to generate ideas, identify opportunities, etc.? (2) When reflecting upon your thoughts, how do you value your reflection regarding the aspects you
have been thinking about? Please notice that I would like you to render your personal understanding/memory and not what you might think someone else believes or
thinks.
The amount of reflection during the past month concerning the aspect:
1 3 5 7 9
I have never reflected upon I have occasionally reflected I have reflected several I have reflected several I have reflected daily upon
this the past month. upon this the past month. times upon this the past times per week upon this this the past month.
month. the last month.
My valuation of the reflections effect on my view the past month concerning the aspect:
1 3 5 7 9
The reflection The reflection had a The reflection had The reflection had The reflection had
did not affect my view on small affect upon my view some affect upon my view large affect upon my view very large affect upon my
the aspect. on the aspect. on the aspect. on the aspect. view on the aspect.
My valuation of the reflections effect on my work the past month concerning the aspect:
1 3 5 7 9
The reflection The reflection had a The reflection had The reflection had The reflection had
did not affect my work on small affect upon my work some affect upon my work large affect upon my work very large affect upon my
the aspect. on the aspect. on the aspect. on the aspect. work on the aspect.
 I have reflected concerning…
”my self”

Continuation PART 2 – The degree of reflection

I regard that my work…
I regard that my view…
I have the past month reflected…

Activities I have reflected upon:

User feedback

1
Get support from

1
management/financier
Generate ideas

1
Identify perspectives

2
4
3
of others
Identify suitable

1
technology

4 Identify opportunities

5
4
Plan/adept for

1
manufacturing
Plan project
5
4
4

Programming
1

Simulating
1

Write product
1

specification
Final tests on users
1

Product release
1

User studies
1

Test
1

technology/design
Elaborate distribution
1

Elaborate support
1

Educate employees
1

Develop business plan

1

for the innovation

Develop concept
1

Choose algorithm
1

Supervise time, cost

5
4
5

and design
Definitions of elements:
User feedback.................................. Is defined as all thought or action related to feedback from the user and internal dissemination of this
information.
Get support from ............................ Is defined as all thought or action related to obtain authority in the form of an approval, or resources in the
management/financier form of time, money or personnel to the project, or both an approval and resources.
Generate ideas................................. Is defined as all thought or action related to the initial idea creation for the project regardless whether it is
done separately or through collective creation and refining of the initial idea.
Identify perspectives of others........... Is defined as all thought or action related to the identification of the perspectives of others concerning the
internal innovation in the group and external individuals not considered as users, for example suppliers,
salespersons, material technicians, etc.
Identify suitable technology .............. Is defined as all thought or action related to the search and evaluation of suitable technologies through, for
example benchmarking, related technologies, need evaluation and valuation or ranking of identified
technologies.
Identify possibilities ......................... Is defined as all thought or action related to internal or external activities intended to identify technical or
market opportunities in relation to the company’s field of knowledge.
Plan/adapt for manufacturing........... Is defined as all thought or action related to planning and adaptation of machines and internal processes for
production of the innovation.
Plan project .................................... Is defined as all thought or action related to ascribing resources as time, money and accessible personnel.
Other activities might be to ascribe rolls, settle goals, make budgets, plan time for milestones, and revision of
present plans.
Programming.................................. Is defined as all thought or action related to identifying, planning, realizing and developing the programming.
Simulating ...................................... Is defined as all thought or action related to planning, realizing and analysing simulations made with the
intent to improve the innovation.
Write product specification............... Is defined as all thought or action related to establish, decide and write down the product specification for the
innovation concerning needs, design, usability, market demands and company demands.
User studies..................................... Is defined as all thought or action related to activities where participants in the project study potential users of
the innovation to further develop the initial idea or concept.
Finishing tests on users..................... Is defined as all thought or action related to external verification of chosen technology and design.
Release the product ......................... Is defined as all thought or action related to plan and work out the release in detail, as in media contacts,
marketing, etc.
Test technology/design .................... Is defined as all thought or action related to internal testing of technology and design in real life situations.
Elaborate distribution ...................... Is defined as all thought or action related to the identification, development, choice and execution of suitable
channels for distribution.
Elaborate support...................................Is defined as all thought or action related to development and refining support functions for the innovation.
Educate employees .......................... Is defined as all thought or action related to give employees sufficient knowledge for development,
manufacturing and selling of the innovation.
Develop business plan ...................... Is defined as all thought or action related to the development of business plans for the proposed innovation.
for the innovation
Develop concept ............................. Is defined as all thought or action related to generate, develop, evaluate and choose a concept for further
development.
Choose algorithm ............................ Is defined as all thought or action related to find, develop and choose a suitable algorithm.
Supervise time, cost and design ........ Is defined as all thought or action related to secure the project in relation to time plans, limits in expenditure
and product specifications.
Thank you for your participation!
APPENDIX 6: Ascribed meaning to generated constructs

CONSTRUCTS
CONTRAST - POLE +
Create arguments within field of application Create free thoughts
Definition: It creates good arguments why you want to Definition: Se what users do and solve their problems.
do something.
Financial aspects Technology driven
Definition: The interest is to generate cash. It has to be Definition: Interest for new technology as a driving
for economical gain. force.

Filtering of idea Unlimited opportunities

Definition: Work as a filter for the most insane things.
Increasing freedom of action
Definition: Possible to include everything without any
thought on manufacturing, economy etc.
Being controlled / influenced
Definition: A controlling or less controllable factor for
the project. Without influence.
Working without knowing if it is right
Definition: Take action in the planed direction. Just do
it, without locking at problems.
Opportunity to affect product specification
Definition: Refer the specification back, it is possible to
affect.
Develops business (innovative phase)
Definition: Develop your business within your area
Creating phase
Definition: Creation, It is possible to do anything.
Definition: Identify opportunities with the risk of lack
of understanding by others. A continuous flow of
unlimited opportunities.
Limiting freedom of action
Definition: A strong limitation of action by for
example cost which was not thought about in
advance.
In control
Definition: Have a large opportunity to affect and
being in control of the situation.
May find problem giving extensive rework
Definition: Verification gives feedback about errors,
which may cause not foreseen problems.
Can no longer affect
Definition: Can no longer affect demands.
Choose track (time to carry out)
Definition: If one has decided that it is good enough,
this will do, let us make it…
Constraining budget
Definition: One has to make a choice irrespective of
good ideas. Prioritize, choose and restrict.

Common constructs are defined in Appendix 3.

Easy to handle Difficult to handle
Requires a small amount of work effort Requires a large amount of work effort
Least critical for process success Most critical for process success
Least critical for product success Most critical for product success